The Sister of a Slytherin
by bozzonita
Summary: What if Draco Malfoy had a sister? And even more surprising, a sister who the Sorting Hat put in Gryffindor? This is her story.
1. Life at Hogwarts

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the characters in this story. This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by J. K. Rowling. No money is being made.  
  
**Author's note July 3, 2004:** This story was former known as Tamara Malfoy, but I decided to change the name since it was really annoying me. Plus, I changed just a little in the chapters but nothing relevant for the story. I simply re-read the first chapters and changed a bit in the language, maybe. Please notice that the two first chapters are more of an introduction to what she and her life are like; the real 'story' starts after that. Please don't read like one chapter and judge the story thereafter. It follows the books up to the fifth, since the sixth isn't out yet (not when I write this, at least) I made up my own plot from there.

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**Chapter 1 – My Life at Hogwarts**  
  
My name has always been like shadow over me. You see, I was a Malfoy, and I hated it. I never felt that I belonged at Malfoy Manor at all. Don't get me wrong now - I'm sure that you all think that my childhood was horrible, or something - but it wasn't. It's true that father never cared for me, but it didn't really bother me.  
  
Mother used to bring me to tea parties at her lady friends' houses. I guess I was supposed to play with the other children, but I could early tell that we hadn't got anything in common. Instead I sat listening to the women's conversations, which gave me an early glimpse of what kind of life I was supposed to live.  
  
Draco was a good big brother and not self-centered and arrogant that most of the people believed that he was. Inside, he could actually be a sympathetic boy. Father taught him a lot, knowledge that Draco later on passed on to me.  
  
I missed him when he went for Hogwarts, and life at Malfoy Manor became undeniably very depressing. I looked forward to Christmas the whole autumn, and became very disappointed being told that he wasn't planning on coming home for Christmas. I felt it like he had let me down, because when he finally came home for summer holidays he was like another person. He had been a real Malfoy, and father was very proud of him.  
  
My summer became long and unbearable, waiting for my Hogwarts letter. I worried about being a Squib, a non-magical born in a wizard family, but of course the letter finally arrived. September the 1st was coming closer, and it felt the day of my freedom. It was the day that I had waited for my whole life.  
  
We met a couple of mum's lady friends' children at the train station. Mother and father left me off at the train in the same compartment as Alice Burbeaut, Janet von Schineidel and a couple of other girls, who were all in the same style that we Malfoy's at least were supposed to be in, sat. Draco had gone somewhere with his friends Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, and I felt totally left out by myself.  
  
I barely said a word to the other girls at the whole trip. At the train station where we arrived Hagrid the half-giant, who showed the way to the first-years' traditional boat trip, met us. My stomach ached, because I know what was coming. This was what I had been thinking about the last few hours, and I was so scared: The Sorting.  
  
Malfoy is in the middle of the alphabet, so I guess that about half of the students were sorted before me. When my name, Malfoy, Tamara finally was called, I was shaking so much that I barely could stand. I didn't even know which house I wanted to be in. I didn't belong in Slytherin, but I was a Malfoy, for Christ's sake! Where can you possibly put a Malfoy, but in Slytherin? I also guessed what everybody would react like is I wasn't put there.  
  
Professor McConagall put the hat on my head. I looked towards to the Slytherin table, and caught Draco's eye. He was looking straight at me and I looked down into the floor, avoiding his demanding gaze.  
  
"This is interesting," a thin voice said in my ear. "You would expect it to be Slytherin, of course, but something tells me that's not entirely correct. You do not belong there, and you know that. Guess if everybody will be surprised when I say GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
Draco raised his eyebrows, looking like he couldn't believe what he had just heard. Every single thing that was going on in the great hall seemed to have stopped. Approximate three people applauded unenthusiastically. I stood up at my shaking legs and managed somehow to get down to the table and have a seat. I stared down into the table and try not to show that I knew that people was whispering and looking at me. I felt a great relief when finally the last student, Weasly, Ginny was put in Gryffindor, because then the empty plates were filled with food and people started eating, laughing and talking.  
  
Life at Hogwarts was as lousy as life at home, maybe a little less uneventful. I had a hard time making friends. There were rumors that I had cheated my way into Gryffindor, that I was a spy from Slytherin, and stuff like that. Draco pretended that I didn't exist and the other people from Slytherin looked upon me like a traitor.  
  
That guy Harry Potter and his two best friends didn't really make things easier. They started their own little investigation about something called the Chamber of Secrets. There were rumors that father had opened it twenty years ago, and now it was going to be opened again, by Draco, whom they believed to be the heir of Slytherin. I found it quite amusing, actually. Sure Draco wasn't directly the most popular guy in the school – except for among the Slytherins – but he's not evil, and definitively not the heir of Slytherin. I didn't really bother, until the rumours changed into me being the one who should open it.  
  
But eventually the mystery was solved, of course that Harry Potter was the hero. I found him rather irritating, he was always going to be the hero.  
  
My summer back at Malfoy Manor was... strange. I was scared of coming home. Mother and father hadn't spoken to me since they were told that I was in Gryffindor, and I was worried that they would pretend that I didn't exist, or something. And they kind of did. Father didn't spoke to me at all, mother was polite but I felt there was a kind of distance between us that hadn't been there before. I almost didn't see Draco at all. He spent most of the summer with his friends Goyle and Crabbe. Sometimes they were at Malfoy Manor, and then I made sure I was out of their way. Goyle and Crabbe really seemed to hate me, and I was kind of afraid of them.  
  
I spent most of the time drawing. I had never been very interested in drawing, had never drawn very much at all. But one day, when I was sitting in my room, looking gloomily out on the rain through the window, I unconsciously started drawing Hogwarts from my memory. I became so devoured by the drawing that I continued drawing intensively the whole day, only with a break for dinner.  
  
Later, I realized that drawing really wasn't very good. But I got inspired to draw more and practice makes you better, right? At the end of the summer I could draw pretty well. I had a drawer in my desk that became filled with drawings during the summer. I drew portraits of every person I knew, self – portraits, Hogwarts, Malfoy Manor, views, Diagon Alley filled with people from Hogwarts.  
  
After what felt like ten years, instead of those couple of months that it really was, summer eventually came to its end, the letter from Hogwarts arrived and I started packing.  
  
My second year wasn't much better than the first one. There was a new teacher in Defence against the Dark Arts, a Professor Lupin, since Professor Lockhart from last year had his memory almost completely removed. Lupin was much better than Lockhart, who had been pretty irritating.  
  
The mass murder Sirius Black had escaped from Azkaban, and suddenly there were dementors in Hogwarts' Area. There were even dementors that stopped the Hogwarts Express in the middle of nowhere on its way to Hogwarts to search the train for Sirius Black. I didn't like them at all, actually. I felt so... unhappy when I faced them.  
  
The only thing I liked with school was Professor Lupin's classes in Defence against the Dark Arts. It was also in his class that I had my first real conversation with another fellow student ever.  
  
We were going to practice the disarm conjuration, and Lupin divided us into pairs. He put me together with Ginny Weasly. I became very happy when she didn't sigh or roll her eyes, like I knew that most of the other ones would do if they got me as their partner. The professor swung his wand and the room was cleared on all tables and chairs. Everyone faced each other. I and Ginny raised our wands and yelled in the same moment:  
  
"Expelliarmus!"  
  
My wand gave a strange little noise and there was some smoke. Ginny succeed better, though, and I was thrown backwards, landing on my back a couple of meters away. She laughed, stepped forward and stretched her hand towards me to help me up.  
  
"I wasn't prepared, I muttered."  
  
"Yeah, sure..."  
  
And the next time it went better. The conjuration was shot out from our ands at exact the same moment, and collided in the air with a huge crack that echoed in the whole classroom. The blast wave sent me backwards, but I managed to keep my feet on the ground. Everything that was going on in the classroom stopped and everyone turned around.  
  
"Well, well," Professor Lupin said, "I see we had two very strong disarm conjurations here. That's what it should look like, well done Miss Weasly and Miss Malfoy."  
  
I didn't like him saying my name. God, what I hated it. I was really ashamed of my name. I felt that Ginny would remember who I really was and become cold like all the other students, but she wasn't. We continued practicing, and it went really well.  
  
There was one class that I didn't enjoy at all. Potions, with Professor Snape. We had that class together with Slytherin. Snape was the head of the Slytherin House, and seemed to hate everyone from Gryffindor, especially me. He looked upon me as a traitor. We always got a lot of assignments to write. I did everything my best, but never got more than Average on them. I really did everything I could to write the best, but never managed to make Snape satisfied.  
  
There was one thing that took major place in my mind. Professor Lupin was gone for a few days from time to time. Okay, that's not very strange indeed, everyone becomes ill sometimes, but he seemed to be sick after a schedule or something. I knew that Snape made potions for Lupin when he was ill, and for a while I suspected that Snape was poisoning Lupin or something, but soon I changed my mind. Since I hadn't got very many friends, I spent a lot of time in the library, reading stuff that seemed interesting. After a while I started reading astronomy and watch the stars. I noticed that every time it was full-moon Lupin became ill. In the beginning I didn't get a thing, but after a while a crazy explanation began to form inside my head. At this time, I was spending every minute of my free time in the library – and finally I got my proof. Lupin was a werewolf. Suddenly I understood everything. Snape made potions that were supposed to make Lupin less dangerous, or something. Dumbledore had to know about it, right? Yes, I was sure that he knew, so I never told anyone. And who could I have told, anyway?  
  
Defence against the Dark Arts wasn't as much fun anymore. I realized that I expected Professor Lupin to turn into a werewolf and attack us all any second, but of course he never did.  
  
Sirius Black was caught on Hogwarts Area. Scary, how did he get in? But in some kind of way, he managed to escape from the dementors – again. At the end of the year people knew everything about Lupin being a werewolf, and he had to leave the school at the end of the term.  
  
This summer was almost worse than the last one. Strange stuff was to happening at Malfoy Manor. I could wake up in the middle of the night and here father talking to someone, whose voice I didn't recognize. I could come down into the kitchen in the middle of the day, and see a person suddenly transfer away. Mother and father could be talking about something and suddenly stop when I entered the room. So I spent most of the time in my room, drawing the whole days and longing back to Hogwarts. Relieved, I finally got my Hogwarts letter and September the 1st was coming closer. 


	2. My third year

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters in this story (wish I did, though...). This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by J. K. Rowling (not Tamara, though, she's mine!). No money is being made.  
  
Author's note: This used to be chapters four and five, now I've put them together, since it's still kind of a prologue.  
  
Thank you for your reviews:  
  
The one that has no name - There are more details in the future chapters.  
  
Sarahamanda - thanks for both reviews  
  
Tanya J Potter - thanks.  
  
Anonymus – Thank you too, you inspired me.  
  
Here's chapter 2 – My third year  
  
It felt good leaving home and going back to Hogwarts and my third year. I just wanted to get out of there. I hadn't been outside Malfoy Manor since I arrived there in the beginning of the summer. Draco had gone with father to the quidditch world cup, but I didn't want to come along. And they never asked if I wanted to. There was a new teacher in Defence against Dark Arts, Professor Moody. He seemed kind of... strange. When the Sorting was done, we were told that the inter-house quidditch cup wouldn't take place this year, because the Triwizard Tournament was taking place at Hogwarts. People were going to arrive from two other schools; Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. One pupil from each school was going to participate, and they were going to compete in three different tasks. For a while, I considered participating myself, to win respect from the other pupils. But it seemed a bit too dangerous, and besides, there was an age limit of seventeen. The other schools arrived. The pupils who were interested in participating were going to put their names in the goblet of fire. Everybody made it such a huge thing, I think. For a couple of days, the goblet of fire was everything people were talking about (of course, I didn't talk to anyone, but I had started listening to other people's conversations). Finally, the day when the names of the participants were going to be announced arrived. Viktor Krum, who besides was a great quidditch seeker in the Bulgarian national team, was the Durmstrang's participant. I thought he was rather cool, you know, eighteen years, still in school, and one of the world's greatest quidditch players. Beauxbaton's participant was a girl named Fleur Delacour. I didn't like her, at all. She was pretty stuck up, and looked like a veela. Even though I hadn't been very interested in the tournament, I was very curious about who was going to compete for Hogwarts. I mean, of course he or she had to win and keep the school reputation. It was a Hufflepuff boy, Cedric Diggory. I think he was worth it, out of what I knew; he was really good in most of his classes. I didn't like him as a person, though. Well, I almost didn't like anyone of the other pupils. How could I have done that, when everyone avoided me only because of my name? And then this weird thing happened. The goblet of fire chose another name, although all the schools already had a participant. Harry Potter. Again, he shows up in strange situations. I wondered how he managed to put his name in the goblet, since he was only one year older than me.  
  
I was tired of spending all of my time in the library. My new interest was listening to other people's conversations. I felt almost as we were friends, I was in the group. I didn't feel that lonely that I had felt before. And I got a nice view of other people's lives as well. I knew almost everything that was going on between people. I knew who was angry, who was in love. I had a feeling of which couple that was going to break up, even before they knew it themselves. I knew that Harry and Ron Weasly didn't talk to each other any more, that Ron was really angry with Harry because he had ended up in the tournament. I agreed with him. It was kind of irritating. A lot of students were irritated because Harry was in the tournament.  
  
I knew that the participants knew about their first task. I didn't know who told them, though. Their first task was to get pass a dragon and collect some egges. Cedric Diggory flipped out and tried to turn a stone into a dog or something, weird thing to do. It kind of worked, though, but he got burned. Too bad. And when I saw the dragon, I was just so happy that I didn't participate myself. I never really understood what Fleur Delacour was trying to do. Well, her dragon fell asleep. Maybe she was trying to hypnotize it or something. But the dragon snored, and her skirt started to burn. Kind of laughable, actually. To me, it looked obvious that Harry Potter knew about the dragons. It looked as if he had really thought about what to do, and practiced a lot. He just stepped out there and said;  
  
"Accio firebolt!"  
  
And his broom come flying, and with the broom he managed to fly around the dragon. Okay, it was obvious that he had known about it before, but it was still pretty cool. And I have to admit, he's a great quidditch player. I think that Viktor Krum was really good, too. He hit the dragon, straight into its eyes, with some kind of jinx. He's not only a great seeker, bur he's really good with jinxes to.  
  
I noticed that Harry and Ron were friends again. I believe Ron thought that being a celebrity's best friend wasn't as bad at all...  
  
There was a Yule ball approaching. Only students above third year were allowed to attend. A younger student could although be invited by an older student. I wished someone would ask me to go with him. Anyone. I just wanted to go. I knew that Harry and Ron, especially Ron, had problems inviting someone to go with them. I was sitting behind them in the common room when they discussed it. Finally, Harry asked a Gryffindor girl named Parvati to go with him. But Ron was still "available". Harry asked Parvati and Lavender Brown, another Gryffindor girl, who they thought could go with Ron.  
  
Ask me. Ask me. Please, ask me...  
  
"Well..." said Parvati finally, "I suppose my sister might – Padma, you know, in Ravenclaw... I'll ask her, if you'd like."  
  
So it appeared as though I wasn't going to the ball. Maybe it was faith. Probably, I wouldn't be having a good time, anyway.  
  
So I spent the evening when the ball was in the common room, reading. The only other pupils there were some first years. And everything they talked about was the ball. They discussed dresses, and who was going with whom. I tried to concentrate on the homework I was doing, but it was impossible. I went out and wandered around in the corridors for a while. Then, when I went past a corner, I suddenly bumped into something big. I looked up, and saw that it was Hagrid.  
  
"Oh, I'm so sorry..." I mumbled.  
  
"Doesn't matter. What's your name again?"  
  
"Er... Tamara."  
  
"Tamara... what?"  
  
I really didn't want to tell him, because I knew that he didn't like Slytherin, and since I'm a Malfoy, I still belong to Slytherin, even if I'm in Gryffindor, since every Malfoy that's ever attended Hogwarts has been in Slytherin.  
  
"Doesn't matter." I said.  
  
"Hey! You're a third year, right? You're taking my classes in Care of Magical Creatures. And you're in Gryffindor, I see."  
  
Oh, really. *Smartass*  
  
"That's true." I said. That was everything I could think of to say.  
  
"But tell me, what's your last name? You never write your last name on your essays."  
  
"Malfoy." I said defiantly. By this time I was rather irritated. Why did he want to know my last name?  
  
"Ha ha. C'mon, tell me."  
  
Great. He didn't even believe me, when I did tell him.  
  
"I just did."  
  
"But... then you can't be in Gryffindor. Where did you steel these robes?"  
  
Hate him, hate him, and hate him.  
  
"I'm in Gryffindor; go ask Dumbledore if you don't believe me. You are prejudiced and if you weren't a teacher and twice as big as me, I would... do something that would make you regret that you were ever born."  
  
I don't know what happened to Hagrid after that, but all sudden he wasn't teaching Care of Magical Creature classes any more, Professor Grubbly-Plank did. I couldn't be because of me, could it? Okay, maybe I was a bit mean to him, but he really insulted me! I couldn't get rid of my bad conscience, so I decided to go and pay him a visit; since I knew he was still at Hogwarts (I heard Harry, Ron and Hermione discussing it).  
  
I went there Sunday afternoon, and knocked on the door. No one opened. I knocked again, harder, and at last he opened. He looked pretty surprised to see me there.  
  
"Er... hi." I said.  
  
"Tamara." He said. "C'mon in. Want some tea?"  
  
"Er... no thanks." I said, but entered the house. "I just wanted... I was wondering... why... if you were sick or something..."  
  
"Well... I've been... not too well. Sure you don't want some tea?"  
  
"I'm not planning to stay. I just wanted to apologize for what I said the other day... but I felt really insulted. And... I wanted to check out how you were doing."  
  
"Oh... I think I was pretty rude. But... it wasn't because of you I didn't show up in class."  
  
"It wasn't?"  
  
"Oh, no. Don't... don't you read the Daily Prophet? Or talk to anyone? Haven't you heard?"  
  
"Heard about what?"  
  
"Thought the whole school knew! Well, that ass... sorry, Rita Skeeter wrote a very... not nice article about me. Don't understand you haven't heard about it! You have to be totally isolated from the entire world around!"  
  
I didn't answer, because he was so right. I was isolated.  
  
"Oh..." he said, "I'm so sorry. You're not doing very well, are you?"  
  
"I'm doing fine. Er... I have to go."  
  
I didn't really feel for discussing my personal matters with that half- giant.  
  
"Okay. But... you are welcome back, whenever you want."  
  
"Thanks." I said and left.  
  
Hagrid was back to the next lesson. He was really kind to me. He wondered on several occasions if I wanted to come over for tea, and finally I accepted his offer. I became a regular guest in Hagrid's house. I hadn't realized how much I needed a friend, and it didn't matter that he wasn't a pupil, or worse, that he was a half-giant.  
  
The day for the second task in the Triwizard Tournament came closer. I knew the participants had got an egg that in some kind of way was going to help them to find out what the second task was. And it seemed as all the participants had figured it out. It appeared as though the merpeople had taken a person for each participant, the person that the participant would miss the most. The participants were supposed to go down into the lake and rescue the person. I think the biggest problem was how they were going to breathe below the surface. The lake was very deep. There was a time limit, too. One hour. Fleur Delacour was going to rescue her little sister. Cedric Diggory was going to rescue a Ravenclaw girl named Cho Chang. Harry was going to rescue Ron, and Viktor Krum was going to rescue Hemione. I knew that he had asked her to the yule ball, but I didn't think it was that serious between them. I didn't think he was very good-looking. Well, neither was she. So maybe they'd make a combination. I didn't see much of the participants when they went down into the lake. Other pupils stood in the way of my view. It was boring to sit and wait there for an hour, but finally Cedric arrived with Cho. There was an enormous bubble around his head. I thought it was pretty smart. Suddenly a weird creature appeared from the lake. It was a human body, with a shark head, with Hermione. The weird creature had to be Krum. Fleur Delacour arrived alone, without her little sister.  
  
"Ze Grindylows! Zey attacked me!"  
  
Finally Harry Potter appeared, as the hero again of course. He had taken both Ron and Fleur's little sister Gabrielle with him from the bottom of the lake. Typically him. I heard there was a song in that egg they got before, and that song said something like "past an hour – the prospect's black, too late, it's gone, it won't come back". Typically him to take that song seriously! It appeared as though he didn't trust Dumbledore at all. Even if Dumbledore's a bit... unpredictable, I knew that he'd never let any of the pupils drown.  
  
Lots of things happened in Hogwarts, and in the Ministry of Magic as well. I wasn't involved in anything; neither did I know any details. I wasn't very interested.  
  
But the third and final task's day was arriving, and I believe that was the hardest task out of all three. The participants were going to get through a maze to collect the Triwizard Cup. Harry and Cedric had the most points, so they started first. Viktor Krum was the second, and Fleur Delacour the last. She hadn't really done great things, so I think she deserved it. Outside the maze, we didn't know what was going on inside. I had no idea what the participants were dealing with. After a while, something had happened. I didn't know exactly what, but all the teachers seemed very upset and Krum and Fleur Delacour were recalled from the maze.  
  
Something had happened. I felt it, the spirit had changed. It had something to do with You-know-who, and where were Harry and Cedric? Oh no. Wherever they were, You-know-who was with them. He had returned. It fitted perfectly to everything that I had heard this year. I knew father was supporting the Dark side, that's why he had been so secretive last summer. Oh no. What if Harry and died? I should have guessed! It was so stupid of me! I could have warned them or something. I panicked inside, but wasn't moving.  
  
Suddenly Harry Potter appeared outside the entrance of the maze. He held the Triwizard Cup... but there was something more there... Just before all the teachers and people from the Ministry of Magic gathered around him and stood in the way of my view, I got a glimpse of what it was. It was Cedric Diggory. It felt like the stone in my throat had fallen down in my stomach. He's not dead, I thought over and over again. But why wasn't he moving, then? Why didn't Cedric sit up, just like Harry did? Then I heard the scream.  
  
"He's dead! He's dead! Cedric Diggory! Dead!"  
  
Everything was chaos the following days. There were a lot of rumors. Unknown people were staying at Hogwarts. Dumbledore said that we weren't allowed to ask Harry anything, just leave him alone.  
  
Life was really chaos for the remaining time of the term. It felt so strange. Dumbledore told everyone in the great hall the final evening, that Cedric was murdered by You-know-who. Well, he called him his real name. There are not many who do. I wasn't very surprised, but in some kind of way it freaked me out, hearing him saying those words. Cedric Diggory was murdered by Lord Voldemort. I suppose that I had tried to deny that he was dead, or repress the fact that You-know-who was back, more powerful than in many years.  
  
I also repressed the fact that the date of the journey home was coming closer. I felt scared of returning to Malfoy Manor. Didn't know what was going to happen. I think that a lot of people suspected that father was a Death Eater. I was scared of him, too, now when He-who-must-not-be-named was back.  
  
My summer was... I don't know. I felt helpless and outside. No one told me anything. Father was gone most of the summer. I didn't want to think of where he was and what he was doing. Mother was still at Malfoy Manor, though. She knew a lot, but she didn't tell me. Neither did Draco. I knew father was going to turn him into a Death Eater as well. I hoped that he would be stopped, that he wouldn't be able to turn Draco into one.  
  
Please, spare him. He doesn't deserve it...  
  
So, like the summer before, I isolated myself in my room, drawing, as usual. I was totally isolated from the world around, didn't know anything about what was going on in the outside world. And you know what? It was pretty nice.  
  
Author's note: Please review, I promise I won't hunt you down, even if you don't like the story. And even if you don't like it, I think you should check out the next chapter because the story really switches style, there. I feel that this chapter and the previous one was more like prologues. Thank you for your time! 


	3. Beginning my fourth year

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters in this story. This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Her Majesty J.K. Rowling, Queen of All Literature. No money is being made.  
  
Wow! I've got a lot of reviews, most of them with interesting points. Keep reviewing! Thank you:  
  
ViviBlack: Thank you, interesting points. Please continue reviewing, it's very inspiring!  
  
Akalei: Thanks! I like the name too, that's why I named her Tamara... I've read parts of your story, will review it when I've finished reading it (but it's great so far).  
  
Jason – I agree, at least a little.  
  
Lily and James Potter – Thanks!  
  
Pussin boots – I know that there weren't many details in the first chapters, that's only because she's lonely and invisible too her fellow students. Stuff will happen to her in the future chapters.  
  
Mikomi-mad – I'm doing my best, maybe you've noticed that the last chapters are less rushed than the first ones, or at least I feel that way. About ideas, I still want them!  
  
Picky – Probably I won't wait for the sixth book, if I get an interesting idea. Why don't you propose one yourself?  
  
Writergurl – I'd really like to write more about Draco, too, but I haven't really found a place where he fits in this story yet. Probably you'll se more of him from now.  
  
Beth – Of course I'm going to get her into more adventures, I just wanted her to be a little older. I feel that the previous chapters were more like a background story, a little of how her life and personality is. The main story kind of begins in this chapter.  
  
Brittany-Granger – Well, here's the next chapter.  
  
ME :) :) – Er... okay, you'll probably see in the future chapters that everyone will look upon her differently. Details are on their way, like I wrote previously her real "adventures" are beginning in her fourth year.  
  
Sorry if I missed someone, reviews may be coming in while I'm writing this, but then I'll mention you in the next chapter.  
  
Anyway, here's chapter 3 – Beginning my fourth year  
  
Well, September 1st finally arrived, and it was time to leave Malfoy Manor. I began to find it pretty boring just to sit in my room, drawing, so I felt that Hogwarts would be a nice change. The earlier years I had been able to get my own coupe, but this year we arrived pretty late and most of the seats were already taken. Finally, I decided to ask if I could sit with a girl named Luna Lovegood. She was in the same year as me, but in Ravenclaw. I opened the door.  
  
"Er... excuse me. Do you mind if I sit her?"  
  
I was on the point of adding "it's full everywhere" but came to the conclusion that it would make a bad impression, like I only chose to sit with her because there were no other seats free.  
  
She looked up for a moment, and hesitated. Then she shrugged her shoulders and returned to the newspaper which she was reading. By the way, she was reading it upside down. I took a seat opposite her. Thought I should say something, but didn't know what. Maybe I could have introduced myself, but she didn't look too interested in having a conversation. She looked really weird. Her hair was long, blond and straggling and she had very light, almost invisible, eye brushes and protruding eyes. In addition, she had her wand behind her left ear and wore a necklace made by butter bear corks.  
  
"I'm Tamara." I finally said, bored by sitting all quiet.  
  
"Luna." She said, without looking up.  
  
The door was opened and Ginny Weasly came in. Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom (Gryffindor, fifth year) appeared behind her.  
  
"Hi!" She said. "Is it okay if we take these seats?"  
  
I hesitated, looking at Luna. Slowly she looked up. Her scrutinizing look went past Ginny and Neville and stopped at Harry. She nodded.  
  
"Thanks.", said Ginny.  
  
The trio entered. I smiled nervously and wondered where Ron and Hermione were.  
  
"Had a good summer?" Ginny asked.  
  
I didn't know who the question was meant for. I had become so shy, that I didn't dare to answer the question.  
  
Just answer the question! It can't be that hard. Ginny asked! She wants to know, she's interested. But... there's not much to say... c'mon, say something. Anything...  
  
But Luna was faster.  
  
"Yes..." Luna said, dreamily without taking her eyes of Harry. "Yes, it was quite enjoyable, you know. You're Harry Potter."  
  
"I know I am." Harry said.  
  
Luna looked at Neville instead.  
  
"And I don't know who you are." She said.  
  
"I'm nobody." Neville said quickly.  
  
"No you're not!!" Ginny said sharply. "Neville Longbottom – Luna Lovegood. Luna is in my year, but in Ravenclaw. And this," she added, pointing towards me, "is Tamara M..."  
  
Don't! Don't! Don't! Especially not in front of Harry Potter... Harry and Draco hated each other. Don't tell him I'm a Malfoy...  
  
I must have looked terrified when she said that M, because Ginny never told them my last name.  
  
"Tamara." She said simply instead.  
  
"You're in Gryffindor too, aren't you?" Neville said.  
  
"Er... right" was everything that came out of my mouth.  
  
C'mon, here's your chance! Say something, say something, say something...  
  
"Fourth year." I said weekly.  
  
"I'm sorry if I'm wrong, but aren't you..." Harry said suddenly.  
  
I know what he was going to say. I looked very much like Draco, and father as well. We all had the same blond hair, the same features, but my eyes were light blue. In fact, I would have been surprised if he hadn't noticed, because he had been staring at me.  
  
"Are you worried about the OWLs?" Ginny interrupted.  
  
That girl is the nicest human being on earth, I swear.  
  
"Not yet." Harry said curiously.  
  
"I'm wondering who's going to be our new Defence against Dark Arts professor." Ginny said, obviously trying to begin a conversation that wasn't about me. I didn't understand why she was trying so hard not to reveal who I was.  
  
"I have no idea." Neville said.  
  
And it was quiet.  
  
"Guess what I got for my birthday!" Neville said suddenly.  
  
"Another Rememberall?" Harry guessed.  
  
"No" Neville said, "but I'd surely need one. No, look at this."  
  
It was a Mimbulus mimbletonia, a plant. Of course, that lout Neville, couldn't handle the plant properly. He did something, never saw exactly what it was, but some kind of liquid came out of it and covered the whole coupe. God, it stank like... I don't know what. Neville was shocked and very regretful.  
  
While we were still covered in that... liquid (Neville called it stinksap), the door was opened. It was Cho Chang, two years older than me, seeker in Rawenclaw's quidditch team. I think Harry had a crush on her, because he blushed really much, and I think I heard something about Harry trying to invite Cho to the Yule Ball last year. Well, I understand him. She's a pretty girl, though rather... I don't know. Superficial, maybe. Anyway, when se had left, Ginny said:  
  
"Scourgify!"  
  
And all the liquid disappeared.  
  
Ron and Hermione appeared with Pigwidgeon and Crookshanks when the food trolley had been there.  
  
"There are two fifth-year prefects from each house. "Hemione said. "Boy and girl from each."  
  
"And guess who's a Slytherin prefect?" Ron said.  
  
"Malfoy?" Harry said.  
  
That stupid name again. At first I stupidly thought that they meant me, but then I realized, that when you said Malfoy, you meant Draco.  
  
"Course." Ron said bitterly.  
  
"And that stupid cow Pansy Parkinson." Hermione added and started saying a lot of bad things about Pansy.  
  
They started enumerating all the other prefects. When they were done, Ron suddenly looked at me, like he hadn't realized I was there until now.  
  
"Hey! You're..."  
  
"This is Tamara." Ginny said quickly while Ron continued staring at me. Well, everyone was staring at me right now, except for Luna, who was reading her newspaper, The quibbler upside down.  
  
"You're Malfoy's sister!" Ron cried.  
  
It all became so quiet. Everybody was staring at me, even Luna.  
  
"But you said you're in Gryffindor!" Neville said.  
  
"I am." I said weekly.  
  
No one said a single word. It was so embarrassing, everyone staring at me. But they were not staring like they hated me. They looked more puzzled.  
  
"Anyway..." Hermione said, "We prefects have to patrol the corridors sometimes."  
  
They continued talking, but I felt that the spirit had changed. It felt like they didn't' know what to think about me. A while later, the door was opened again. It was Draco and Grabbe and Goyle. I felt the spirit in the coup change again. It became tense. Everyone was looking at Draco, but I saw that everyone was keeping an eye at me. I tried to hide behind my hair. I don't know if he saw me, but at least he didn't say anything. Well, he must have seen me, and recognized me even if I tried to hide. I mean, after all, he was my brother!  
  
"What?" Harry said.  
  
"Manners, Potter, or I will have to give you a detention." He said slowly. "You see, unlike you, I've been made a prefect, which means that I, unlike you, have the power to hand out punishments."  
  
"Yeah," Harry said, "but you, unlike me, are a git, so get out and leave us alone."  
  
I looked up and caught Draco's eye. He was looking right at me. Something gleamed inside his eye.  
  
"Tell me, how does it feel being second-best to Weasly, Potter?" he asked.  
  
"Shut up, Malfoy." Hermione said sharply.  
  
"I seem to have touched a nerve." He said, smirking. "Well, just watch yourself, Potter, because I'll be dogging your footsteps incase you step out of line."  
  
There was something about those words, dogging. He meant something with those words. A look at Harry told me that he had noticed it as well, but unlike me he knew what it was all about.  
  
"Get out!" Hermione said and shut the door after them.  
  
When we got off the train, I looked around after an empty seat in one of the carriages. Suddenly someone took my arm. I turned around and saw that it was Draco.  
  
"Go and sit with Potter & Co." he hissed.  
  
"What?" I said. I couldn't tell if he really meant it, or just was angry because I'd been sitting with them on the train.  
  
"Make friends with Potter & Co." he said impatiently.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Infiltrate their little group! And keep your eyes up for information about a dog. Then, if they say anything, you tell me. Got it?!"  
  
What was it about that dog? I didn't understand anything.  
  
"Which dog? Why?"  
  
"Don't act like you're stupid, Tamara." He said, threatening, "I'll be hearing from you, then."  
  
And he was gone. Puzzled I stood still. Almost everyone had entered a carriage; I didn't know where to go. Suddenly Ginny's head appeared out of one of the carriages.  
  
"Hey! Tamara, there's one seat left here, if you want to join."  
  
I entered the carriage and sat down next to Ginny. Ron, Harry, Hermione and Luna were also there. I felt that everyone still was keeping an eye on me, although they were talking about other stuff. Not Harry, though, he seemed pretty into himself.  
  
In the Great Hall, I sat down next to Hermione. She chatted with Harry and Ron, on her other side, but when they started discussing quidditch, she turned to me.  
  
"Tamara..." she said slowly, "I... wanted to say... that I believe that the Sorting Hat never makes a single mistake."  
  
That was all, and she turned away from me again. I didn't know what to think, really. At first, I didn't understand what she meant at all. During the night, when I lay awake, trying to sleep, I realized what she had really said. She thinks I should be in Gryffindor. She doesn't think I'm evil or something.  
  
Author's note: Almost all reviewers have told me that I should add more details, and as you may see I've done so. In fact, that was my thought from the beginning; the first chapters were more kind of a background story. The real "story" kind of begins here, maybe you've noticed that the story kind of switches style here. Well, anyway, thanks for reading, please review. Even if you have reviewed before, please review again, review every chapter that you read. Reviews keep me writing. Also, I still want to hear more ideas for Tamara's fifth year, which would take place in the sixth book. Besides this story, I'm writing another HP fic, less serious, named Heaven, you should check it out if you're interested (but I'm warning you, it's pretty weird...). Thank you! 


	4. Confronting three boys

Disclaimer: I'm not Her Majesty J.K. Rowling, Queen of all Literature, so unfortunately I don't own much, neither am I making any money (unfortunately, as well).  
  
Author's note: After the chapter before the previous one, I got lots of reviews. I got like two after the last chapter. Even if you have reviewed previously, please review after reading every chapter. It's very important to me. Thanks.  
  
Review thank-yous: (sorry if I'm writing that word wrong, feel free to correct me...)  
  
Pussin Boats – Okay, I feel like a total outcast, could someone please tell me who or what a Mary Sue is? I'm totally lost. Well, thanks anyway.  
  
Lily and James Potter – Thank you! You're doing exactly the right think, reviewing every chapter. Thanks! And notice, Tamara was put in Gryffindor (and the Sorting Hat never make mistakes) so she should have the certain qualities which a Gryffindor has.  
  
Here's next chapter; Confronting three boys – Only for you...  
  
There was a new teacher in Defence Against Dark Arts, of course. Since it came out the Professor Moody hadn't really been Moody, because Moody had been locked up in a storeroom or something for the whole year. Uh, scary. The new one was a female, a Professor Umbridge. She was horrible! Even worse than Lockhart, and he hadn't been good at all. The only thing we were doing in the Defence Against Dark Arts classes now was reading. Reading, reading, reading, chapter after chapter. Of course, it's useful to read about spells before practicing them, but she never let us practice. How were we ever supposed to defend ourselves against the Dark Arts if we had never tried the spell in reality, only 'in our minds'? She was very well liked by the Slytherins, though. Draco was like one of her favourite students. He seemed to like her as well.  
  
Hagrid was gone. I had no idea where he was. It was rather depressing though, since he was like the only one who I could really talk to, maybe not about everything, but he seemed to be the only one that actually cared about me, at least a little.  
  
There was one thing that was taking a lot of place in my mind. Since Oliver Wood had left, the Gryffindor quidditch team needed a new keeper. I thought that maybe I'd try. I mean, the worst thing that could happen, was that they'd not want me in the team. And then so what. Then I had tried, at least. So I started sneaking out in the evenings, practicing. My broom was pretty okay, too. Better than average.  
  
It wasn't very easy practicing alone. I tried several spells to make the quaffle fly towards me, but it didn't work very well. Then, one evening, when I with my broom in my hand stepped out onto the quidditch pitch, I saw another person coming, the opposite way. It looked like he had seen me too. We stopped when we were like teen feet apart. It was Ron Weasly that stood there, with his arms crossed.  
  
"What are you doing out here, Malfoy?" he said.  
  
"Probably the same thing as you, Weasly." I said.  
  
"I think we have a problem here."  
  
"If you say so." I said simply.  
  
"Behave yourself. I'm a prefect, you see." He said, and sounded pretty stuck up.  
  
"I know you're a prefect."  
  
"I could put you in detention."  
  
"Okay." I said. I found it pretty fun to irritate him. By the way, he was not being very friendly to me.  
  
"Well, Malfoy..."he said.  
  
"Call me Tamara." I interrupted.  
  
"... I have to practice."  
  
"Me too." I said simply.  
  
"Not to be rude or anything... but don't you think my chances to be chosen as a keeper are bigger than yours?"  
  
"You're probably right." I admitted.  
  
"Stop annoying me!" he shouted. "It's impossible to have a discussion when you just agree with me!"  
  
"Hey, Weasly, calm down. We should be able to practice together, shouldn't we?"  
  
"I suppose you're right." He muttered.  
  
And we started practicing together. We never became friends or something, if we passed each other in the corridors or something we pretended that we'd never meet. We never talked very much during our practices either, but it was great to have someone to practice along with.  
  
I was never chosen though, Ron was. It didn't disturb me, actually. I felt that since I've helped him to practice, they kind of chose me too. The day after the tryout, someone less happy came to talk to me, though, Draco. He pushed me into an empty classroom.  
  
"I saw you at the tryout for the Gryffindor keeper." He said.  
  
"Why did you push me in here? To tell me that I stunk?"  
  
"No, you didn't stink. Actually, you were... okay. Better than the Weasel who was chosen. Good." Considering it was coming from Draco, it was a compliment. No, more than a compliment. A praise. He didn't seem to like Ron, though. I'd better not mention that I'd been practicing with him for a week...  
  
"What do you mean, why was it good that I wasn't chosen?" I asked.  
  
"Good you weren't chosen. We slytherins are planning to win the inter-house quidditch cup this year. Anyway, I expected to be hearing from you." He said.  
  
"I don't think I have anything to tell you..." I said slowly.  
  
"You promised to make friends with them, Tamara!"  
  
"I'm trying, I'm on my way. Really." Well, that was a heck of a lie. Okay, I might be trying, but I wasn't on my way to succeed at all.  
  
"Listen to their conversations. I'll give you three words: dog, dreams, Dumbledore."  
  
"Why do you want me to listen to them? It's father, isn't it? He's asked you to find out things about The boy who lived, hasn't he?" I said.  
  
It all became so clear. Dad was a Death Eater, he praised Lord Voldemort. He wanted Draco to find out things about the boy who lived, the only one that had ever defeated Voldemort. Draco couldn't, since he and the boy were enemies until death, so he wanted me to do it for him.  
  
"I'm not helping Death Eaters..." I cried.  
  
"Your own father..."  
  
"He doesn't feel like my father! The only thing he has ever given to me was this stupid name, it's always following me!"  
  
"Without him you wouldn't be born." Draco reminded me coolly.  
  
"Maybe that would be the best!" I shouted.  
  
It all became so quiet. We both stared at each other. His features changed, and he turned into the big brother from old times, the big brother I wanted. A tear appeared out of my eye, making its way down my cheek.  
  
"I have to leave." He mumbled but didn't move. We stood there, quiet, for another minute.  
  
"I thought you were leaving." I finally said, tears streaming down my cheeks.  
  
"I am." He said and left.  
  
I didn't see him again until a couple of days later. The Gryffindor quidditch team was practicing one afternoon. I went there, basically because I didn't have much more to do, I had already done all my homework. Some of the slytherins were there as well. Draco and his supporters were shouting really mean things about the Gryffindors, especially Ron. It was horrible. Ron played awfully, and I knew he could have done great; he had been pretty good when we were practicing. But I suppose he was nervous, I would have played awfully too, if someone was shouting such things. I wondered if Draco had acted the same way if I had been there.  
  
That... I can't find a fitting word for her, but that horrible Umbridge woman became a Hogwarts High Inquisitor. Obviously, that allowed her to inspect and maybe fire teachers. She started attending different classes with different teachers, investigating the teachers' background, asking students questions and stuff. The thing is, she didn't care what the students said, or how the teachers behaved. She had a list of certain teachers, which she didn't like, and she treated them awfully. Most of the teachers she disliked were teachers like McGonagall and Hagrid, teachers which Gryffindors liked. She didn't care if Gryffindors praised them, if a single Slytherin criticized them the criticism was the only thing she cared about.  
  
I think that Harry, Ron and Hermione really hated her. They wanted to kind of fight against her, do something. They started a secret Defence against Dark Arts group. Harry was going to teach Defence against Dark Arts to a group. Hermione secured people to the group. Ginny asked me if I wanted to join them, they were going to have a secret meeting at the Hog's head, a less known pub in Hogsmeade, the next Hogsmeade weekend. I thought that why not?  
  
A couple of days after the Hogsmeade weekend and the meeting, Harry came up to me in the common room. I was sitting in a corner, writing an essay for Snape.  
  
"Hey, Tamara..."  
  
"Hi." I said. "Er... what's up?"  
  
"Who told you about the meeting?" He asked quietly.  
  
"Ginny did." I said.  
  
"Okay. But, you can't tell anyone about it. Especially not... your family."  
  
"I'm not stupid." I said. "Why was you wondering who told me?"  
  
He didn't answer it directly.  
  
"You thought I'd heard about it from Draco, didn't you? You thought he sent me there as a spy?" I continued.  
  
"I... I just wanted to make sure that no one that isn't supposed to know about this knows... I..."  
  
"Believe me; I don't support the Death Eaters. I think you've got other things to worry about than me betraying you. I understand if you have problems trusting me since I'm... well, because of my family but only because they're my family I'm not... supporting you-know-who." I said. It felt so necessary convincing him that I was on his side, I didn't know why.  
  
"Er.. I'm sorry. I'll see you around, then."  
  
Author's note: Okay, that's chapter four. Please notice that I still want ideas for the next year. Write them in your review or e-mail me, you can find my e-mail by simply clicking on my name. Thank you for your time! 


	5. Quidditch

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and new characters introduced in this story.  
  
Author's note: I've had this chapter finished for a while. But my dear brother has messed up the computer, it didn't work for a week, and now the internet connection doesn't wok, so I don't know when I'll be able to publish this, but I'll publish it as soon as possible.  
  
Review-thank yous:  
  
Pussin Boots – Well, thanks. About that slowing down thing, I'd really like to describe the classes, the common rooms, spare time, etc but I haven't found a nice place for it. You see, I don't feel that I can write such things if they don't bring the story forward. Well, I'll try to do so, maybe in the future chapters, in her next year maybe.  
  
ViviBlack – Thanks for the explanation. Well, I really hope that I won't turn Tamara into a Mary Sue, I'll do my best. And if an idea would pop up in your mind, feel free to tell me.  
  
Lily and James Potter – I may be putting in some kind of a fight between Harry and Malfoy later but I can't see where it would fit in the last chapter. Your ideas sounds very interesting so please keep thinking! Thanks.  
  
Chapter 5 – Quidditch  
  
The Defence Against Dark Arts Group was named DA – Dumbledore's Army. We started having regular meetings, once a week in a room called the Room of Requirement, that's some kind of weird room that appears when you need it. Harry was a pretty good teacher, though. We started with very simple stuff, and later we moved on to more advanced things.  
  
The date of the first quidditch match arrived and it was versus Slytherin. Honestly, it was awful. The slytherins really spotted their chance and started to psyche Ron, singing awful songs. He totally freaked out. Poor boy, he was so nervous. Well, I would have done so too. He let in goal after goal. Luckily Harry caught the snitch before Draco did, which meant that Gryffindor won anyway, but it was still a tragedy. Draco was so mad. He provoked Harry and the Weasly twins, they started beat him (not Fred though, the chasers managed to hold him back). Umbridge threw them out of the team. It was a complete disaster. What was left in the Gryffindor Quidditch team: Three chasers and a lousy keeper (well okay, maybe he wasn't that lousy, but he couldn't handle his nerves). Of course they needed a new seeker and two new beaters. I saw my chance to get in the quidditch team. Well, maybe I wouldn't fit as a beater. I was pretty short and weak, not very strong. But a seeker, maybe? I really wanted to try out for it, so I decided to do so.  
  
I practiced every evening. I was far behind in my homework, but this was something I really wanted to do. I thought that would fit me better than the keeper position anyway. Finally, the day for the tryouts arrived. I was so nervous; this was something totally different from when I tried out for the keeper position. This felt so important to me in some kind of way.  
  
When I was chosen, I felt that this was the happiest day of my life. I didn't feel like a total outcast any more. I had been thinking that maybe they would pick Ginny Weasly, she was also trying out. She was pretty good, too, and she told me that she'd been practicing since she was six. That made me extra proud. I had really done great at the tryout.  
  
Draco didn't seem too pleased, though. He looked me up the following day, pushing me into an empty classroom again.  
  
"What the hell are you doing, Tamara?!" he shouted.  
  
"What did I do?!"  
  
"You're the Gryffindor seeker!" he cried.  
  
"So? Are you afraid that I'm better than you? Since I managed to be chosen even though I'm not the most popular student in the house and you were chosen only because father bought the whole team new broomsticks?"  
  
"Manners, Tamara." He said coolly. "I'm a prefect, if you remember?"  
  
"I thought it would be good if I was chosen as a seeker since that should increase my popularity." I said tiredly. "I thought you wanted me to 'infiltrate'."  
  
"You don't care about that!" He shouted. "Half the year has gone. A snail would infiltrate faster! You're not helping the family, Tamara. You're doing nothing to help your own family. Your own blood."  
  
"Don't try to make me feel bad about it!"  
  
"I knew something was wrong when you were put in Gryffindor. You're choosing the wrong way, Tamara. Try to co-operate a little and you'll se that things will go much easier."  
  
"Maybe you're the one not choosing the right way, Draco." I said.  
  
"Don't do that, Tamara. Don't fight against your own blood."  
  
I hesitated, thinking of what to say.  
  
"I only want your best, Tamara." He said softer. "Remember that."  
  
"Maybe I'm old enough to decide what's best for me myself."  
  
"You're too depending of us."  
  
I stood quiet, breathing heavily.  
  
"Is this what you want, Draco?" I asked quietly after a while. "Is this the kind of life that you want? Like father's miserable life?"  
  
"Don't talk like that, Tamara. You're insulting your father."  
  
"He never cared about me! None of you do!" I said, trying to hold my tears.  
  
"I care about you." He said quietly before he left the room.  
  
A couple of weeks later my first quidditch game took place, it was versus Hufflepuff. I was so nervous before. They had managed to find to new beaters, Sloper and Kirke. Ron didn't seem to feel to well, too. Since the beaters were new and the keeper was unstable I felt that this match pretty much depended on me. And I was new as well. Great point to start from...  
  
Well, the game was pretty short. Ron kept letting in goals for Hufflepuff, and I circled nervously around, looking for the snitch. I had to hurry, because if it took too long Ron would have let in too many goals, and we wouldn't win. I didn't see it and started o panic. Where the hell could it be?!  
  
Then I just saw it. Summerby, the Hufflepuff seeker, had seen it as well. We were at the exactly same level. Just a little faster... a little faster... I reached for the snitch... I got it. I got it! We still lost the game, 240 – 230. But I caught it!  
  
Our next and last quidditch match was versus Ravenclaw. I was really scared. Cho Chang was an excellent seeker and their whole team was in excellent shape. The slytherins kept singing, and I knew that would totally freak Ron out. So it was all up to me. If I caught the snitch early, we could win. I circled around high above, desperately looking for the snitch. I was so concentrated, didn't care about what was going on down there.  
  
I looked towards Cho. She stood still, looking around. Then I saw it. It was buzzing right below her. I tried to pretend that I didn't see it and flew a little closer. When I was just a few meters away, I focused on the snitched and raced towards it. She looked surprised and saw the snitch, but it was too late... I caught it! I caught it! I looked down to see what the score was, and was so shocked that I almost fell off my broom. Ron had only let in two goals! It was amazing, so cool! He's like my new hero... We celebrated all night long in the Gryffindor common room. Ron was so happy. It was great. People thought that I had done great too. Ah. What a night...  
  
Author's note: I'm not too pleased with this chapter, I just can't write about quidditch. So I'd better stop right now... Review! Review! Review! I especially like the longer reviews with questions and interesting points, but a 'great chapter' or a 'nice story' is ok too... By the way, what kind of role do you think Tamara should have in the Department of Mysteries – stuff? I'm not really sure myself, 'cause I really don't want to make her a heroine or something. 


	6. Messing With Draco

Disclaimer: Stuff from the HP books or films are not mine and I'm not making any money.  
  
Thanks:  
  
Pussin Boots – Read your story, and reviewed it. And about that truly evil bad guy thing, I totally agree.  
  
ViviBlack – Thanks for the support! I feel that Tamara have to do something because otherwise it would be pretty boring. I don't really want her to be friends with Harry & Co. either, I feel a little stuck. Well, I can't wait to see what I do with it either.  
  
Chapter 6 – The Department of Mysteries  
  
I passed the exams pretty well, I think. Yet I was glad that I wasn't a fifth year or a seventh year, because I hadn't been studying that much that I should have been. I just couldn't concentrate, it was very annoying. OWLs seemed to be scary; I was already dreading the next year. Most of the fifth year students were pretty messed up when the exams came closer.  
  
One day, when I had just written my test in Divination, I saw something really weird. A couple of slytherins, all friends of Draco, were walking by, dragging Ginny, Neville, Luna and Ron with them. They all disappeared into Umbridge's office.  
  
I didn't have the patience to wait outside, because it was time for dinner and I was really hungry. So I went down to the Great Hall to eat, and when I was finished, about half an hour later, I went back to the corridor outside Umbridge's office. The door was just opened and Draco came out.  
  
"Hi." I said.  
  
"Now what?!" he said, irritated.  
  
I rolled up my eyes.  
  
"Sorry for trying to be nice."  
  
"I don't have time for cold talk."  
  
"What are you doing, then?"  
  
"Getting some stuff for Dolores."  
  
What? Since when are you calling teachers by their first names?  
  
"What kind of stuff?"  
  
"A new pot of floo powder. Nothing interesting."  
  
"What's happening in Umbridge's office?"  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about."  
  
"I saw you. Your slytherin friends, and Ron, Ginny, Neville and Luna Lovegood went into Umbridge's office. I bet you, Harry and Hermione were already there?"  
  
"Mind your own business. Why do you care anyway?"  
  
"It must have been something very secret and important if you don't want to tell me."  
  
"Oh, shut up. It's no use trying to psyche me, Tamara. You should know." He said, irritated.  
  
"Come on, Draco. Just tell me!" I said impatiently.  
  
"Did you honestly think that you could ask me anything and I'd happily answer any question? Grow up, Tamara. You're fourteen, but you act like you're five. What are you going to do? Save their life and become a heroine? Well, nice try, but you won't succeed."  
  
Before he even had time to blink, I pulled out my wand and pointed it straight against him. When he critically raised his eyebrows and looked at me, like if I was a five year old who was pretending to be an adult, I angrily muttered a spell. Satisfied I watched Draco fly backwards and land on the floor.  
  
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!"  
  
I knew that he was going to pull out his wand to, so I quickly muttered another spell. When I saw the result, I just couldn't help laughing. His blond hair turned into some kind of worms, and they grew and grew until they were almost as tall as Draco himself.  
  
"Tamara! Stop it, you little idiot..."  
  
I just couldn't help laughing. The worms started moving, and then they started tickling him. He burst into a huge laughter, and lay on the floor, shaking.  
  
"S... stop it... hi hi hi pl... ha ha please..."  
  
I laughed like I was crazy too. He looked so funny, and I felt that this was the payment for all times when he had been looking down on me, laughing at me.  
  
"T... tam... a – ha – ra, ho – hi hi hi – nestly...I ca... can't br – ha ha ha – e – ho ho ho – athe. Please!"  
  
I felt so sorry for him, that I pointed my wand towards him and said a spell which caused everything to stop, but the worm-like stuff didn't disappear.  
  
"Tamara, you idiot! What the hell are you doing!?"  
  
"Messing with you. Letting you pay for every spell that you have practiced on me."  
  
"Shut up and take this off from me." He said, and sounded really angry.  
  
"I don't know how to do."  
  
"TAMARA!"  
  
"Honestly, I don't' know."  
  
"You're such an idiot! You're bringing shame upon the whole family."  
  
"Well, that's a matter of opinion." I mumbled.  
  
"Drop it, Tamara. Stop messing things up!"  
  
"What do you mean, messing things up?"  
  
"You are not stupid. Don't ask stupid questions! Go and get Madam Pomfrey."  
  
"Do it yourself!"  
  
"I can't let anyone see me like this! It's your entire fault. Why did you have to mess with me?!"  
  
"Well, you provoked me."  
  
"I'm warning you, Tamara. You're in great trouble if you don't get Madam Pomfrey immediately."  
  
"What kind of trouble?"  
  
"I'm warning you again, Tamara. You'd know better than to mess with me."  
  
"I haven't got very much to lose, have I? Have a nice day." I said and left the room in a hurry.  
  
Author's note: I'm not too satisfied with this chapter. It was too short, and kind of out of character to I think. But whatever. I'm having a writers block, and I haven't started writing the next chapter at all, simply because I don't know how to write it. I NEED YOU! I don't know if I'll be writing more on this before my summer holiday, which begins in like a month. But there's one thing you could do to make me write the next chapter faster; REVIEW! What do you think should happen next?  
  
Xxxo/Megafreak 


	7. Following

Disclaimer: The same deal as in the previous chapters.  
  
Thank you, dear reviewers!  
  
Lark277 – It appears as though you had to wait =) but here's the next chapter.  
  
Pussin Boots – I appreciate your ideas, they sound appealing to me (well especially one, but I'm not telling you anything). I'll think about it, I have some time, since I have to finish her fourth year first. Thanks.  
  
ViviBlack – Whoa. Thanks. Chapter dedication for your idea.  
  
Kagome Senguku – Honestly, that would have been fun, but I think that would have to big impact on the future and would bring the story in the wrong direction. But thanks.  
  
Star Storm Raven – Well, thanks blushing.  
  
Lily and James Potter – Well, that's option, but I kind of messed it up in the last chapter, didn't I? I wrote something like 'I found Draco an hour later' and by that time they'd probably gone already. Well, whatever, I'll see what I can do about it anyway.  
  
Redquail – It appears as you have totally got the right image of her and you're welcome.  
  
Green-Eyed-Moony – Feel free to explain what you mean with 'plot depth'.  
  
Author's note: I messed up a little in the last chapter, so I've changed it a bit. There's no need for re-reading it, but if you think that something is unexplained or weird, you could try re-reading it.  
  
And I'm sorry if details from the book are incorrect. Honestly it's because I'm to lazy to look it up, but let's say it's some kind of Writers Liberty =)  
  
I know I said that I wouldn't write more before my summer holiday but watch what some nice reviews can do!  
  
Chapter 7 – Following  
  
Dedicated to ViviBlack THANK YOU!  
  
I hadn't anything special planned for the evening. Maybe studying a little since there were yet another exams tomorrow, but I didn't really feel for it. Instead, my curiosity made me take a walk by Umbridge's office again. Just as I arrived there, I saw Ron, Neville, Luna and Ginny leave. They all looked pretty black and blue, but didn't see me.  
  
"The forest! I saw them through the window" Luna declaimed.  
  
"Where did Malfoy go?" Ginny asked.  
  
"Who cares?" Ron asked. "C'mon, let's go!"  
  
"Harry's wand" Ginny explained. "He's still got it."  
  
"It would take an eternity to search the castle for that idiot" Luna said. "We've got to hurry..."  
  
All of them hurried away from me, still unaware of the fact that I had been there. I stood like frozen. Then, without thinking, I turned around and ran back to the classroom where I had hexed Draco, but he had left. The corridors were empty; all of the students had gone back to their common rooms after dinner. I sprinted down the corridor, towards Madam Pomfrey. I turned right around a corner, and bumped into someone.  
  
"Miss Malfoy!"  
  
I looked up. Oh, no. Not Snape!  
  
"Professor Snape! I'm really sorry, I..."  
  
"There's no reason for you to be running around in the corridors at this time of the day."  
  
"I know, it was a mista..."  
  
"Twenty points from Gryffindor" he interrupted. "You should try to behave more like your brother, Miss Malfoy."  
  
"Certainly, Professor Snape" I said tiredly.  
  
He looked coldly at me and then walked away, without another word.  
  
"Damn it!" I muttered angrily to myself.  
  
Every time I wanted to do something good and helpful, I messed up. Typically me, damn it! But I continued hurrying towards the hospital wing, slower this time though. I certainly didn't want any more of those nasty surprises.  
  
I had to pass the entrance of the Great Hall, and there were still some students left. Next to the entrance, there is some kind of cupboard, and the door was not entirely closed. I became suspicious and opened it.  
  
"Oh, fuck off Tamara. Do you have to come and mess things up again?" a very familiar voice said. You see, it was Draco who was sitting there.  
  
"Forgot something."  
  
"Like what?!"  
  
"A little peg which you can use to do magic, maybe?"  
  
"You wish" he muttered.  
  
"Be a good boy now, Draco. Give it to me." "What are you going to do with it? Don't help that Potter idiot. He's really stupid, it's a piece of cake to play him."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Especially since he's always trying to be a hero. I'm sure he was trying to rescue him..."  
  
I pulled out my own wand.  
  
"Feel for some more tickling, maybe? Or some other interesting spells? Right here, where everyone can hear you scream?"  
  
He pulled up the wand.  
  
"Oh, and Snape took some points from Gryffindor. Maybe you could put them back, since you have that kind of powers."  
  
"You'll pay for this, you know."  
  
"Looking forward to it" I said sarcastically and slammed the door.  
  
Obviously it would definitively not be a good idea to walk out through the main door, since everyone would see me. So I hurried towards the hospital wing, because there's a smaller exit there.  
  
Outside the castle, I made sure that I was out of the light as I sprinted towards the Forbidden Forest. Sadly to say, I'm not much of a sprinter, and when I had ran half the way I had to stop and breathe. I walked on, puffing heavily, when I saw something up in the sky.  
  
"Scheiβe!" I muttered anrily. (A/N: Scheiβe is German for shit, pronounced something like schaise. Sorry, just wanted that word...)  
  
I had read about them, thestrals, but since I hadn't seen anyone die, I couldn't see them. It looked pretty weird there, six persons flying on nothing. But back to important stuff, what should I do? I had to follow them. I should follow them. I wanted to follow them. But from where could I get a thestral? Especially when I couldn't see them?  
  
Think quickly now, Tamara. Think, think, think... damn little brain, work!  
  
And then I got it.  
  
"Accio Nimbus!"  
  
We had practiced that spell in the DA, and we had read about it in the DADA class. I could master it pretty well, and I was really glad when I saw that something came flying towards me. It smacked straight into my right hand and caused a lot of pain, but it wasn't really the time for caring about such small things. I got onto the broom and kicked away from the ground.  
  
I really don't want to boast or something, but I was a great flyer. Well, I had to be, since I was a seeker in the Gryffindor team, hadn't I? Anyway, it was damn dark and I didn't see a thing. I flew in the direction where I thought they had gone while spying around. I saw something glimmering almost as far as the horizon.  
  
I was flying at a very high speed. As I saw the lights of London come closer, I also came closer to them. Or, at least I thought it was them. They went down for landing and I did the same. But just as my feet touched the ground I saw that the little group went into a telephone box, and one second later they were just gone.  
  
I left my broom outside (disguised it to a drainpipe) and went into the telephone box. My hair was a mess, so I tied it up in a ponytail.  
  
Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and mission.  
  
I hesitated. Somehow I thought it'd be a bad idea to tell my name, so I thought I'd try with another name.  
  
"Alexia Dawn, er... I'm here to... to visit someone."  
  
Please state your correct name and mission.  
  
I sighed.  
  
"Tamara Malfoy. I'm searching for six Hogwarts students..."  
  
A pin appeared where you usually get change.  
  
Tamara Malfoy, Searching Mission  
  
Huh. Ridiculous. But the telephone box was some kind of elevator, and it started moving downwards. Finally the elevator stopped, and the doors were opened.  
  
Amazed I looked around in the huge hall. There was some kind of reception desk to the right, I thought that one was supposed to announce one's arrival, but I didn't really feel for doing that. Since I probably had broken like a dozen of rules (even though I wasn't sure of which) I didn't really want to announce 'hey! I'm here, call professor Umbridge and get me expelled because I'm breaking a lot of rules'. Luckily, the receptionist was sleeping, so I managed to sneak by.  
  
There was another two elevators in the end of the hall. I looked at a sign between them, which showed which department that was on which floor. Okay, where could they have gone? I searched the list for a familiar name, something that I could remember one of them mention in a conversation... department of mysteries. I remembered hearing something about that, but I couldn't remember in which situation. But that was the only kind of clue that I'd got, so I entered one of the elevators and felt it slowly moving downwards.  
  
I closed my eyes and breathed slowly, trying to calm myself down. What was I doing here? What on earth had I gotten myself into? Turn back, a voice inside me said. But unfortunately, I couldn't cause the elevator to stop and start moving upwards again, so at least I had to go down to the Department of Mysteries floor. Maybe I could go back then or something.  
  
Finally, the elevator stopped and the doors slid open. I stepped out, into a long dark corridor where the only thing I could see was the torches on the walls. I had to make a decision. Continue or turn back? But before had made my choice, I heard the other elevator moving, it came closer, and I quickly took one step into the shadows to hide myself, but of course I couldn't turn totally invisible. Oh, shit. If they saw me, I was in great trouble.  
  
The other elevator's door opened and out came a group of five people; four men and one woman, with light blue hair. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw who the men were. I didn't recognize two of them, but Professor Lupin was there and Professor Moody. Well, I don't know about that professor thing, since it came up that he had been captured, and another man had used the polyjuice potion to pretend to be him, but yet. Then one of the other men turned around and I saw his face.  
  
Holy shit! I recognized his face immediately, even though I had only seen it in the Daily Prophet and that was two years ago. It was Sirius Black.  
  
Author's note: Cliffhanger? Probably not, since you've probably read the book, you'd know they were there. If you haven't read the fifth book, may I suggest that you do so before you continue reading my story? Please review. Nice chapter-reviews, ideas, points, feelings, grammatical mistakes, flames, whatever. Feel free! And thank you for taking your time to read my story. blushing 


	8. Standing Up

Disclaimer: Same procedure as every chapter, James =)  
  
Review-thank yous:  
  
ViviBlack – Thanks.  
  
Pussin Boots – I feel honored! Unfortunately I usually have a hard time creating interesting characters, and that's why I'm writing fan fiction. Still, I think I'll try to write something, maybe this summer. I'm going to have like a month of free time before I'm going away, and none of my friends will be here =(

**Chapter 7 – Standing up  
**  
They turned around and hurried away, towards the one and only door, in the opposite end of the corridor. I exhaled. They hadn't seen me. But suddenly Moody stopped and turned around. I had forgotten about his magical eye; probably he had been using it to look backwards, and I'm sure it could see even if it was dark.  
  
"Why stopping, Monster-eye? Hurry!" Sirius said.  
  
Moody didn't answer, but drew his wand. When the others saw him doing so, they did the same.  
  
"Seeing anything, Moody?" Lupin asked.  
  
"Sch." Moody muttered. "Someone over there."  
  
I wondered how far it was to the elevator. Five feet, maybe. What if I ran, the doors were closed and then I could go back up again. But five feet... and as I told you before, I've never been much of a sprinter.  
  
"_Lumos_!" Lupin said.  
  
The light was blinding and I screwed up my eyes. I tried to make myself smaller, pressed myself even more towards the wall, even though I knew that it was no use.  
  
"Who..." started the man whom I didn't recognize.  
  
"Tamara Malfoy, right?!" Lupin interrupted surprised.  
  
"Er... yep" I said.  
  
This was so embarrassing. I felt like a little kid, being caught while I was stealing cookies from the cookie box or something.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Lupin continued.  
  
"Er... well, I... I... saw... them... go in here... I thi..." I mumbled.  
  
"Who went here?" Sirius interrupted me.  
  
I would definitively not have told a mass murderer the location of six of my fellow students, if only his wand hadn't been pointing straight towards me.  
  
"Harry... Potter" I whispered.  
  
His expression changed, from stressed to really worried.  
  
"And Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville and Luna" I enumerated quickly.  
  
"You saw them? When? Here?" Lupin asked urgently.  
  
"No, I saw them outside the Ministry, they went down in that telephone box" I explained.  
  
"So why did you go to this department?" the wacky woman asked.  
  
"I dunno" I said. "I... I think I remember hearing them say 'department of mysteries' some time'..."  
  
"You go straight back up" Lupin instructed me. "Wait in the entrance. Understood?!"  
  
"But..."  
  
"Now" Moody interrupted and pushed me into the elevator again. The doors closed and the journey back to the main floor began.  
  
"Damn it!" I yelled and my voice echoed in the elevator.  
  
I pressed the button for the third floor since it already had passed the second one.  
  
"_Third floor, Department of Magical accidents and catastrophes, including the accidental magic reversal squad, obliviator headquarters and muggle- worthy excuse committee_"  
  
I got out and went over to the other elevator, pressed the button and waited for it to arrive. It didn't take very long since it was only two floors down, but it felt like I waited for more than one hour before the elevator finally arrived. I stepped inside, pressed the down button and the doors were closed.  
  
My heart was beating so fast. I'm only going to check what's happening, I reminded myself. If it seems dangerous, I'll back out. No one is going to see me...  
  
The elevator stopped and the doors slid open. I went out and looked towards the only door. There was a lot of noise coming from there. People yelling, smells, hits, bangs and screams. I hesitated. This did seem dangerous, so maybe I'd back out. It's easy! Get into the elevator again, press the button and then you'll be out of here.  
  
I walked slowly towards the door. It felt like it took me an eternity to reach it, and when I finally had gotten there I stood still, hesitating.  
  
You can still go back, I reminded myself. It's your choice...  
  
But this time I was to slow, faith had to make that choice for me. The door flung open and a man came rushing out. He crashed into me, I fell backwards, he stumbled and we both fell onto the floor.  
  
I quickly got onto my feet even though my legs were shaking like they never had been before, in the exact same moment as he stood up. I'd never met a Death Eater in person, but I immediately realized that that's what he was. He was dressed all in black, and with a black cap that cast a shadow over his face. He was holding a glass ball in his hand. I stood a millisecond, staring at him, before I realized who he was.  
  
"Father?" I whispered.  
  
"Move!" he said and tried to push me aside, since I was standing in way of his escape.  
  
But that crash had cost him too much time, and now the crazy woman whom I met before appeared from the room.  
  
"Expelliarmus!" she shouted and father's wand went straight into her hand.  
  
A loud scream that struck like knives in my ears was heard, and she turned around to see what had caused it. I don't know what it was, but it must have been something really important or dangerous, because she ran back into the room.  
  
The door was closed behind her and I was left with my unarmed Death Eater Father. He held the glass ball like it was his loved baby, and stared desperately towards the elevators. Then he started walking, tried to walk past me, but I stopped him.  
  
"Get out of the way!"  
  
I hesitated, not knowing what to do. Suddenly the door flung open again, and a woman in Death Eater dress came running. She zigzagged past Father and I, and escaped into the elevator. Then Harry Potter appeared in the doorway, furious.  
  
"To the hell with you" he said when he saw that Father was unarmed, and pushed him hard into the wall. Then he caught sight of me, and stared confusedly.  
  
"What the hell are you doin..." he said, but I interrupted him by simply hold out his wand. He took it without saying a word and ran through the corridor over to the elevators, jumped into one and disappeared.  
  
The door had been closed again, and we were alone.  
  
"Helping that Potter boy, aren't you" Father hissed. "A traitor in the family, doesn't look good..."  
  
"Oh, shut up" I said and took out my wand.  
  
The moment after, I couldn't believe I just said that to Father. Maybe it was the feeling of having a power, since I had my wand and he was completely unarmed.  
  
"So, what are you going to do, then" he said scornfully. "_Wingardium Leviosa_?"  
  
The worst thing was that he was rather right. We had studied a lot of spells during all DADA classes for those four years which I had been spending at Hogwarts and we had practiced them in the DA as well, but it was a complete different feeling to use them in reality. For the moment I couldn't think of any spell. It was a complete blackout. In fact, the only words that were in my mind were '_Wingardium Leviosa'_. (A/N Swish 'n flick, lol)  
  
So I simply raised my wand and said: "_Wingardium Leviosa_!" with such a power that Father flew up in the air. His head bumped into the roof, the spell was off and he dropped down unconscious.  
  
I turned around and sprinted towards the elevator shafts. I didn't know anything more than the fact that I just wanted to get out of there, and that NOW. I pressed the up button, and waited restlessly for the elevator to arrive. I practically cast myself into it and pressed the button. The doors were closed and I was heading upwards again.  
  
Everything was a mess in the entrance hall as well. People dueling, spells yelled and bangs. I didn't give a damn about that, but ran through the entrance hall over to the elevators. Someone threw a spell against me but I jumped into the elevator just in time. The doors were closed and the elevator started moving upwards.  
  
I got out of the telephone box and fetched my broom. I got into it, but didn't kick off into the air yet. I had to calm myself down first; my legs were shaking like I don't know what, well my whole body was shaking. After about five minutes, I finally set off into the air.  
  
Author's note: Isn't it interesting how the spell Wingardium Leviosa can become so helpful in such situations (thinking of hp&ps)? Anyway, please review, and thank you for taking your time to read my story. 


	9. To Dumbledore We Go

Disclaimer: The magical world of Harry Potter does not belong to me. It's impossible that I'd ever be able to create such a thing.  
  
Review-thank yous:

Kagome Senguku - Glad you liked it. Look, I'm already updating!

Mirkwoodmage – Thanks! blushingPussin Boots – Still working on the details. And I have read your Harry Potter story, and reviewed it as well.  
  
Tfishot – Thanks, thanks, thanks.  
  
**Chapter 9 – To Dumbledore We Go  
**  
I couldn't fly properly; I was definitively not concentrating. It's pretty understandable that my thoughts were in another place. I held desperately on to my broom, trying to stop the tears from falling down. If I started crying; I wouldn't be able to see a damn thing.  
  
It felt like it took me hours to reach Hogwarts again. I landed just beside the Forbidden Forest. My next problem was how to get back to the castle unnoticed. I really didn't want any attention. I guess I'm just not that kind of a person who wants to be in the spotlight.  
  
But it was pretty late, and most of the students had gone to bed, so it was possible to sneak back to the castle. I didn't feel for going to bed at all when I had left my broom off. Instead I went to Moaning Myrtle's toilet, which was the only place where I could be sure I'd be alone. Being alone was just the thing I need.  
  
I sat on the floor, leaning towards the wall and closed my eyes. It took less than a minute before the tears I had kept inside me for so long flooded down my face. I cried and cried and cried, let all of my emotions leave my body. I felt a beginning head ache, and decided to sneak back to the dormitory and try to get some sleep.  
  
But I didn't make it more than half the way, before I met someone in the corridor.  
  
"Miss Malfoy!" she shrieked. "Are you aware of the fact that every teacher is looking for you?!"  
  
I stared at her. She was back?!  
  
"Professor McGonagall?! I thought..." I started but she interrupted me.  
  
"Going out all alone, looking for danger! And then not tell anyone that you're back, just disappear!"  
  
"Honestly, I didn't know that everyone was looking for me..."  
  
She snorted.  
  
"Then we're going to see the Professor Dumbledore."  
  
"He's back, then?!" I asked, surprised.  
  
She looked at me with scorn.  
  
"Of course he's back! What did you expect?"  
  
"I dunno..."  
  
We walked to Dumbledore's office in silence. The door was closed, but Professor McGonagall knocked on the door.  
  
It took maybe five minutes, before Dumbledore opened. Before letting us in, Harry Potter exited. His face was pale and tired, and he avoided looking at anyone. I looked after him when he was walking away alone in the corridor.  
  
Professor McGonagall pushed me into Dumbledore's office, where he told me to sit down.  
  
"Found her in the corridor, Professor." McGonagall said.  
  
"Thank you, Professor McGonagall. I'll take it from here. Please go and alert the other teachers."  
  
"Certainly, Professor Dumbledore" McGonagall said and left.  
  
So I was left with Dumbledore. He sat down in his chair, observing me through his half-moon glasses. He said nothing at all. I looked bothered around in the room. I had never been there before, and found it rather interesting. I looked anywhere but at him. I could feel his eyes on me, though, burning.  
  
"Excuse me, Professor" I said after ten minutes. "I'm wondering, since you obviously have nothing to say, if I could leave and go to bed because I'm really tired..."  
  
"No" he said simply.  
  
I raised my eyebrows automatically but immediately lowered them again.  
  
"I beg your pardon?"  
  
"You may not leave" he repeated. "Not until everything is made clear."  
  
I stared at him. I'm sure he was a great wizard, both powerful and smart, but I have to admit that he seemed rather crazy from time to time.  
  
"Then make everything clear..." I muttered.  
  
"Miss Malfoy, you are going to make everything clear. Not I."  
  
"Look, Professor, I'm really tired. Maybe this could wait..."  
  
"I know most of the story. This won't take long."  
  
"Then... what am I supposed to do?"  
  
"Let's take it from the beginning. Your brother arrived to the Hospital Wing, his hair transformed into some kind of worms. I believe you are responsible for that?"  
  
"Why do you think that, Professor?" I asked innocently.  
  
"He said so. And it's not impossible that it's true."  
  
"I was provoked."  
  
He didn't say anything, but lowered his glasses and looked calmly upon me. Aargh! He was so irritating.  
  
"You have no idea what it's like!" I exploded.  
  
"No, I don't."  
  
I stared wildly at him.  
  
"Why don't you tell me, then?" he continued.  
  
I hesitated.  
  
"Sorry, I'm just a little bit tired. If I could..."  
  
"If you don't want to ease your heart, why don't you tell me what happened today, then?"  
  
I sighed. Okay, then. Let's get this done.  
  
I quickly related the whole story, in a non-emotional way, almost like a machine. He didn't say a single thing during the story.  
  
"You are a very brave girl."  
  
No, don't talk like that... I hate it, when people talks like that. I don't like being a hero. I don't like spotlight at all.  
  
"Could I go now, Professor?"  
  
"Okay, then. You may go for now."  
  
"Thank you, Professor."  
  
I was out of his office in less than ten seconds. I jogged through the corridors over to the Gryffindor Common Room, told the fat lady the password and entered. I looked around in the room. I wasn't alone, there was someone standing by the window. At first I thought of trying to sneak past him, but then I changed my mind and cleared my throat to kind of tell him that I was there.  
  
"Oh, hi" Harry said.  
  
I could swear he had been crying, but he acted like nothing had happened and I didn't want to embarrass him, so I did the same.  
  
"Hi" I said simply.  
  
We stood quiet for a while, avoiding eye contact.  
  
"Sorry, but really what happened in there?" I asked at last.  
  
"The only kind of family I've ever had in my life died" he said simply.  
  
"Oh. I... I'm sorry."  
  
"I don't really want to talk about it. But what were you doing there?!" he said, obviously trying to change the subject.  
  
"Well, I..."I said but hesitated. "I came across your wand, and..."  
  
"Mal... sorry, Draco had it!"  
  
"Yeah, I know. We kind of... had a fight, and I was really angry and I threw a spell at him, well it's a long story but anyway I got your wand."  
  
"It was you that cursed your father in the Department of Mysteries, wasn't it?"  
  
"Good night, Harry."  
  
Author's note: Well, here you go. I'm pretty busy right now, a lot of stuff coming up, and I have a web site under construction as well. Added to that, I have my other HP story which I haven't written something on in quite a while. So maybe I won't be able to update this for a while, but I'll try. Please review, because if anything make me type faster, it's reviews! 


	10. Home Again?

**Disclaimer:** If I was JK Rowling and had created Harry Potter, I would be writing the sixth book instead of this crap!

**Author's note:** Hi readers, long time no see. I've been busy with school, concerts since I'm in a music school, and I've been working on my other story, but finally, here's the next chapter of your beloved story, lol. Plus, I'm now on summer holiday so hopefully I'll be able to update a little more.

Again, sorry if details from the book are wrong, that's because I'm too lazy to look it up. Besides, I don't have the book here right now. Anyway, let's call it Author's Liberty.

But now I need to stop babbling and start the story.

**Author's Note January 1st 2005** – Corrected some grammar mistakes )

**Review-thank-yous:**

ViviBlack – Thanks, I'll take that as a compliment since my own personality probably is reflected in hers )

Thank you also; Lily and James Potter, Pussin Boots, Kagome Sengoku and Gilraen

**

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Chapter 10 – Home again? **

I almost didn't sleep anything during that night. It was almost 3.00 AM when I finally went to bed. I slept very badly and by the time the clock had passed six, I decided to go up and eat some breakfast before everyone would be there.I got dressed in a zombie condition, did my hair and went out into the Great Hall. It was almost empty. At least no one from Gryffindor was there.

I sat down and took a glass of orange juice. Maybe that would be able to cheer me up a little? But no. I was exactly as tired as I had been before. I couldn't dare to think about how I'd pass the exams today!

An owl came flying, through one of the windows, making its way towards me. It dropped a letter on the table, and immediately took off again.

I stared at the letter, which was addressed to me. It was a howler. I looked around in the Great Hall. There weren't _so_ many students there… I opened the letter and dropped it on the table when the voice started yelling.

"_Tamara Malfoy! You are bringing nothing but shame upon the family! I'll expect you to come by to fetch your things and your inheritance by the day the term ends."_

The voice echoed in the hall seconds after she had stopped yelling. I looked up, only to see that everyone in the great hall was staring at me. I quickly took my things and sprinted towards the entrance, but when I turned around the corner I bumped straight into someone.

"Sorry" I mumbled, blushing, collected my things from the floor and raised to continue.

"Tamara! How are you doing?"

I looked up, straight into Hagrid's big face.

"Not well. I… I've got to go."

"Come over for a cup of tea later, if you'd like."

"Maybe" I said before leaving.

I never went over to Hagrid's place. I barely passed the exams and avoided all the other students; which meant that I didn't eat lunch; only an early breakfast and a late dinner; which caused me to lose weight. Added to that, I had a lack of sleep. When all of the exams had passed a few days later, I looked like shadow of the old me.

I tried to avoid thinking of that howler. Tried to convince myself that she was exaggerating, that everything would be exactly the same, but deep inside I believe I knew that nothing was the same anymore. Mother would never send such a letter; she's not that kind of person who sends a howler at all (she thinks it is brutally); if she didn't really mean it.

But the day of departure from Hogwarts was coming closer, and soon I found myself facing the last evening. Since it was the last evening, it also was the last dinner, where the winner of the Inter-house competition was going to be announced. Of course, I had to be there, even though I didn't care.

But then I got an idea, and went up to the hospital wing fifteen minutes before the dinner was served.

"Madam Pomfrey? I've got such a bad headache…" I groaned.

"Oh dear, you look completely finished. Tell me, are you sleeping anything at all?"

"Not much" I admitted.

"Well, you'd better lie here and get some rest for an hour or two, and I'll get you something for your headache. Too bad you're missing the feast tonight."

"Yes, it's a shame" I lied and lay down onto the bed which she had shown me.

I closed my eyes. I couldn't flee anymore, I knew that. I would have to face mum, and Draco. And what had happened to father? I didn't know. Where would I stay, when I had picked up my things?

Madam Pomfrey returned with a bottle of some kind of potion.

"Here you go. Now sip this slowly."

I hesitated. I wasn't really having a headache at all. What if the was dangerous if you were faking it… Get a grip! Madam Pomfrey would never give a student a poisonous potion.

So I sipped it slowly, and it tasted quite good. Some kind of mix between strawberries and raspberries.

"I will have to leave you alone here, to attend the dinner. Will you be okay?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Okay, dear. Try to get some sleep, then."

"Of course."

I never thought I'd actually get any sleep, but five minutes after she had walked away, my eyelids were heavier and heavier and heavier…

When I woke up, it was in the crack of dawn. I needed to go and get my things packed together. I decided that it probably was the best to leave Madam Pomfrey a note, just in case she would wonder were I'd gone, so I quickly wrote something about me having to pack my things and left the note on the now empty bed.

Two hours later, I had all my stuff packed together in my trunk and went downstairs into the Great Hall to have some breakfast. It appeared as though that most of the students had woken up rather early, because there was rather many of them sitting in the Great Hall, eating breakfast.

I was going to sit on my own at the end of the table to keep avoiding people. But then I decided that I should go and sit next to some of the other students. I would have to face them sooner or later, wouldn't I? However, I took a deep breath, walked over and sat down next to Ginny, and therefore opposite Hermione.

"Good morning" I said cheerfully.

"Mornin'" Ginny said and yawned.

"Hi, Tamara" Hermione said. "I haven't seen you around for the last few days, where've you been?"

"Around" I said. "Tired, in the hospital wing last night."

"Oh."

I grabbed a muffin and started to eat. _This is going well, just keep calm, they won't say anything abo-_

"Er… Tamara?" Hermione said.

"Huh?"

"I heard about… I heard that you knocked your dad down."

I swallowed.

"Yeah…" I said.

"I think that proved something about you" she continued. "That you're not like your family."

_Oh, really? Never thought about that before!_

But I couldn't say that, of course.

"Okay…" I said instead.

"Yeah, I just wanted to say that I think it was brave of you."

"Oh… thanks… I guess."

"Is the rumour about the howler from your mum true?" Ginny asked, suddenly breaking into our conversation.

"Er… kind of" I said.

"What, what did she say?" Ginny asked curiously.

I stared at the muffin I was holding in my right hand. Suddenly I didn't feel that hungry any more.

"She said I am supposed to come by and pick up my things and my inheritance er… today."

"And then what?" Hermione asked worriedly.

I shrugged.

"I don't know" I said. "Disappear out of her life, I guess."

"What?!" Ginny almost shouted.

Harry, who was sitting next to Hermione and opposite Ginny, looked up.

"Huh?" he said.

"Tamara's mum has thrown her out of the family" Hermione related.

"What? Where are you going to be living during the summer, then?"

I shrugged again.

"I don't know" I said. "I'll get my future inheritance so I'll have money; I suppose I'll be able to stay at some kind of hotel, perhaps the Leaky Cauldron or something."

Harry sighed.

"Families sucks, don't they?" he said.

"Huh?" I said, surprised by this sudden announcement, but he didn't explain what he was talking about, just returned to peck his food.

"That's horrible!" Ginny said. "I'd ask you to come and stay with us, really, but I don't think that would be a good idea right now."

"It's okay, really" I said.

"We'll keep in touch during the summer" Ginny promised. "So if you're in trouble, just send me an owl."

"Thanks" I said.

"We should be going" Hermione said. "The train leaves in an hour."

I sat with the others on the train, even though I wasn't participating in their conversation, just staring out through the window. It was foggy and raining and it wasn't really possible to see the beautiful surroundings, but I wouldn't have noticed them anyway since I could concentrate on nothing but my worries.

_Stop worrying!_ I told myself. What was there to worry about? I mean, I would have money, and with money anything is possible. Almost. I'd just check in at the Leaky Cauldron. Piece of cake!

I hadn't even noticed that everyone had raised their wands before they had attacked the target, which appeared to be my brother and his two big gorilla-friends. Obviously he had provoked them by saying something I hadn't noticed. When I saw what they turned into (A/N Read in the book!), I couldn't help smiling. The others apparently found it very amusing as well, because they all laughed when they saw the result.

When the train had arrived and stopped at King's Cross, Platform 9 ¾, and we all were getting off the train, my brother's trio were left in one of the compartments, unable to move. I was just going out through one of the doors when I suddenly changed my mind and turned around.

"Forgot my... sweater" I mumbled to the ones who looked wonderingly.

I went into the compartment in which Draco, Crabbe and Goyle was lying. Even though they were rather unrecognisable, I recognized one of them as my big brother. I took out my wand, pointed it at him and said a spell, which made him turn into normal again.

We stood there, staring at each other in silence for a while. He was slightly blushing, something I can honestly say that I hadn't ever seen him do before.

"Er... thanks, I guess" he said finally.

"You're welcome... I guess."

"What was that spell? I've never heard it before. Maybe you could..." he said, pointing at the two others.

I snorted.

"No way! They're not my problem."

"Come on..."

But I walked out into the corridor and towards the exit.

"Fine, then!" he said and followed me out.

Most of the students had already left Platform 9 ¾ through the barrier, so it was easy to find mother. She was dressed all in black, her hair up, looking irreproachable as always. The difference from earlier years was that she was standing alone, not talking to some of her lady friends who happened to have children at Hogwarts.

"There you are," she said. "Come on, I've brought the car."

We exited Platform 9 ¾ and walked out of King's Cross and to the car, which was parked a bit away. It's a silver cabriolet, new, shiny, cool one. Mother walked unusually fast.

"Hurry up!" she urged.

We got into the car; mother in the driving seat and Draco and I in the back.

"What's the rush?" he asked when she had started the car and we were driving crazily fast through the streets of London towards Malfoy Manor, which was seated a couple of kilometres outside London.

"Someone is coming over, she wanted to have a look on the room before she makes a decision" she said shortly.

"What room?" he asked, a little bit puzzled.

"Your sister's room" mother said coolly. "We're renting it out. We need the money because of the loss of your father's income."

She glared at me in the rear view mirror.

"Yes, I heard about the... howler" he said. "But I didn't think you were being serious."

"Of course I was being serious! I have already transferred her money to another account at Gringotts" she snorted. "End of discussion!"

I walked slowly towards the house, dreading the following happenings, pulling my trunk behind me. Mother and Draco were already inside. I heard their voices from the living room when I entered, but the door was closed and I didn't dare to open it.

I walked upstairs into my room and pulled out another trunk from the wardrobe. I decided to keep my Hogwarts stuff in the trunk where it already was, and take the new trunk and fill it with stuff I wanted from my room. I looked around in the room. What _did_ I want? Some of my drawings, maybe. My old teddy bear, some books. I was making a list of the things I was going to bring when mother suddenly appeared in the doorway.

"I transferred back your money to our family account," she informed me.

"Huh?" I said, not understanding.

What was she talking about? Because, if I hadn't got _any_ money, no chance that I would be able to-

"_Huh_?! What have I said about manners, Tamara? You should say _pardon_ or at least _sorry_."

"Sorry. I don't really understand-"

"Unpack your things," she interrupted. "I'm cancelling advertisement of your room being able to rent."

I stared at her when she abruptly turned around and walked away. I was staying?!

I walked out into the corridor and over to Draco's room and knocked.

"Come in!"

I opened the door and stuck my head in.

"What did you say to her?" I asked, amazed and thankful.

"It worked then, I assume?" he said.

"Yes! Gosh, thanks."

"You're welcome."

**

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Author's note:** Sorry if Draco is a bit out of character, but I don't want him to be that really evil guy, I want him to have another side, you know... 

Oh yeah, I was wondering something. I don't have the books here right now so I can't check but if anyone knows; what is Professor Flitwick teaching and who is teaching Charms? Or maybe he is? Please help me so that I can put my mind at rest, and maybe I'll need it for future chapters. Thanks!

I just have to tell you, I'm so happy, I've got all those ideas for the upcoming years and I can't wait to write it. So hopefully updates will come frequent now. Please notice, though, I do not update until I've gotten at least one review for the previous chapter. So: REVIEW! Love all kind of reviews and its reviewers as well, who keep me writing.

Always yours,

Megafreak

Ps. I wrote a short one-shot called _The Yule Ball _about a week ago, check it out! It's a RW/HG fic, including some HP/GW. Thanks!


	11. Another Summer Comes to its End

**Disclaimer:** I am in no way connected with Harry Potter or JK Rowling. I am purely a fan, just like the rest of you, who happens to like writing fan fiction.  
  
**Review-thank yous:**  
  
Pussin Boots – About that sequel thing; the thing is, this fic is in no way finished; I don't know if more of you thought it was but I planned to write about all of her years. Well, if I ever succeed to finish a story. So I don't know about that sequel-thing... And thanks for your review!  
  
ViviBlack – Thank you very much. Hm, a list of all the teachers may not be such a bad idea. Really, you should have a whole book full with hp facts, like an encyclopedia...  
  
Gilraen or Mirkwoodmage – well, here we go again, already.  
  
Sorry if I missed someone, reviews may still be coming in while I'm writing this.

* * *

**Chapter 11 – Another Summer Comes to its End**  
  
Okay, I was glad that I was staying in the house, but I still didn't enjoy it at all. It was just... boring. Nothing happened! I just sat in my room, drawing as I had done the previous summers, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I used to. I was running low on theme-ideas, and one day I threw the pad straight into the wall, in pure frustration.  
  
I tried sunbathing a little, but it's not that good for my skin. I don't get this nice brown tan; instead I become all red. It's in the family (another bad thing about my family).  
  
One thing that made me keep my spirit up, was the fact that Ginny and I owled each other during the whole summer. I didn't know exactly what she was doing, but she was hanging around somewhere with the others. I didn't ask, either. I mean, obviously it was something secret, otherwise she would have told me, right? I used to be a very curious person, but I guess I somehow just grew up, because I didn't feel that there was a need to know exactly where they was, what they were doing and why.  
  
Because of the loss of father's income, we couldn't afford to have as many people just taking care of the house and its surroundings as we used to, mother had to fire our gardener, and she had fired our chauffeur already before we arrived from Hogwarts. Now it was only our cook, Maria, and our butler, James, left.  
  
Anyway, since mum considered it being my fault that we had to fire the others, which it was, she thought that I should take care of their tasks. I couldn't drive, of course, but she assigned me the garden. So I had something to do, and when I had given the drawing thing up, I spent most of the time out in the garden.  
  
Still, it was boring and my mother did behave very coolly to me, so I felt a great relief when the Hogwarts letter finally arrived. I started packing the very same day as the letter arrived, and the following time before September the 1st turned into an restless waiting which to me appeared to be endless. And then finally, the day arrived.  
  
But the night before, I made an important decision, I promised myself something. I wasn't going to avoid people this year. I wasn't going to try to hide or flee. I was going to face the upcoming problems.  
  
So I was filled with self-confidence when mother drove us to King's Cross on September the 1st.  
  
"Have a nice year, dear," she said, turned to Draco. "Study well."  
  
"I will," he said, rolling his eyes slightly and disappeared away.  
  
Then she turned to me.  
  
"And you... well, have a nice year you too. Study enough for the OWLs."  
  
"Yes" I said. "Er... bye, then."  
  
I entered the train to find myself a seat somewhere. Finally I stuck the head into one compartment and found Harry, Ginny, Dean Thomas and Luna Lovegood. Ginny smiled.  
  
"Hi, Tamara!" she said. "Come and sit here!"  
  
"Thanks" I said, entered the compartment and sat down next to her. "So, what's up?"  
  
"Nothing" she said.  
  
First now I noticed Dean's arm around her waist. I looked questioning at Ginny, who only smiled back. I smiled to her, happy for her, but it was still irritating. It felt like the whole world had fallen in love! Anywhere you looked, it was couples, handholding, hugging, kissing.  
  
"Dean!" she exclaimed, giggling. "You're tickling me."  
  
"Sorry" he mumbled, his mouth pressed against Ginny's hair.  
  
I sighed and looked at Harry, who was sitting opposite me, looking extremely depressed. He stared down into the floor. I turned my head around and looked at Luna, who was sitting by the window looking as strange as always, reading the Quibbler upside down, as she had done the year before. What a company, huh? A kissing couple, a crazy girl reading the Quibbler upside down and a depressed boy who didn't say anything at all.  
  
It was a little bit of a relief when Ron and Hermione entered. They had been over in the prefect compartment. Hermione was very kind to me, Ron still kind of awaiting. However, even them coming couldn't cheer Harry up, and Ginny and Dean were still... just interested in each other, something that appeared to be very irritating to Ron. And Luna, she was still reading.  
  
"Come on, Harry!" Ron said. "How about a little smile?"  
  
He was obviously trying to cheer him up, but it didn't seem to be very successful.  
  
"There's nothing to smile for," Harry said.  
  
"Of course there is," Ron said.  
  
"Oh yeah? Like what?"  
  
"Like... we're going back to Hogwarts."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"And... you're head of the quidditch team!"  
  
Oho. Obviously, since Umbridge had gone, Harry was back as the seeker. I reminded myself that all of the three chasers had graduated (A/N: That's correct, isn't it?), so I thought I might try out for the chaser instead. Yes, I had been quite successful as a seeker, but still, Harry was better.  
  
"Maybe I'll resign from the quidditch team" he said. "Tamara could be the seeker, and you'd probably be the head, Ron."  
  
"You can't resign, Harry!" Ron exclaimed. "You're like the best seeker ever! No offense" he added, looking at me.  
  
"None taken."  
  
"Harry," Hermione started, "I know you're sad and depressed but I don't believe that resigning from the quidditch team is the solution."  
  
"You don't even like quidditch!"  
  
"So? I still want you happy, Harry. I've known you for quite a while and I know that quidditch is one of the things which makes you happy."  
  
"I just don't feel for leading the practises, all of that stuff."  
  
"The whole team would fall together without you," I said. "You're the only one with any experience! I mean, look, the rest of the team has been on for a year, plus, there's a need for three new beaters, right?"  
  
"Correct" Ron said.  
  
Harry sighed.  
  
"Maybe" he just said.  
  
"You know," Ginny broke into the conversation, "I thought I might try out for the chaser position.  
  
"Me too" I said.  
  
"You're both talented" Hermione said. "It's no impossibility that the both of you ends up in the team."  
  
"Especially since talented quidditch players seems to be rare nowadays," Dean entered our conversation as well.  
  
"Yeah, remember when we needed beaters?" Ron said.  
  
Harry groaned but in a little up-cheered way.  
  
"Spare me!"  
  
Then it came, the smile.  
  
During the Sorting, I was so hungry that I kept my arms wrapped around my stomach in pain. Then, finally, the last student (Wilson, Jessica) was sorted into Hufflepuff. Dumbledore held a short speak and then said the words I'd been waiting for during the hour which had passed.  
  
"Let the fiest begin!"  
  
I tucked in immediately as the food appeared on the table. Gosh, it tasted so good. When having eaten almost twice as much as I usually did, I laid the fork and the knife on the plate, stretched my back and yawned. I couldn't wait to get into my bed, close my eyes and just sleep...

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**Author's note:** So, there it goes. Sorry about the boring summer, but I hadn't got any ideas. Maybe this whole chapter was a little boring, but I had to pass this to bring the story forward.  
  
Reviews still make me type faster.  
  
Until next time,  
  
Megafreak 


	12. A New Professor

**Disclaimer:** Yeah, right. I didn't own it before, but now suddenly I do?  
  
**Review-thank yous:** (Which I honestly enjoy writing!)  
  
ViviBlack – Oh, thanks. It doesn't have that huge impact on the story, but it's still better if the details are correct.  
  
Gilraen – The reason why I didn't say what Draco did is that... well, Tamara doesn't know exactly either, and since the story is told from her POV... But you can assume that he talked and convinced her, I mean, what more could he possibly have done?  
  
Kagome Sengoku – Yeah, wonder who's head of Ravenclaw... sure it's not in any of the books? Tell me when you get an account, I might want to try reading some of your stories. Thanks for the reviews!  
  
Pussin Boots – Maybe you're right about that sequel-thing but whatever... I like it this way.  
  
Singing our Death – You only reviewed the first three chapters, are you still following?

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**Chapter 12 – A New Professor**  
  
But before I could go to bed, Dumbledore stood up, saying that he had an announcement.  
  
"Since Dolores Umbridge obviously are not here with us any more, we have a new member in the staff who will take the position as a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher."  
  
I listened curiously. As you all know, we had been having bad luck with all of our DADA teachers. There had been some kind of problem with every one of them; I wondered what it was going to be this time.  
  
"Let me introduce you to Mr. Frederic Albus Dumbledore."  
  
Huh?  
  
A middle-aged man who was sitting next to him, stood up. I hadn't even noticed him!  
  
"Dumbledore's son?!" said Harry, shocked, next to me.  
  
"Some kind of relative, at least. It's not a very common name" Hermione said.  
  
"They look alike," Ron said.  
  
"He's the right age for being his son," I said.  
  
"Dumbledore doesn't have a son, does he?" asked Hermione.  
  
"He can't have a son," Ron said, sounding very assure. "I mean, he would have told us, right?"  
  
"Maybe he wouldn't," Harry said. "He's been keeping secrets before, right?"  
  
"Silencio!" Dumbledore shouted. "You'll see each other soon. Now, time for a good nights sleep."  
  
Actually, Defence against the Dark Arts appeared to be our first class the following morning. I was so tired after the welcome fest that I slept over a little, had to eat breakfast very quick (which didn't bother me really much since I had eaten so much the previous day) and run over to the classroom where the class was held.  
  
"Hey! Tamara, over here!" Ginny shouted and waved at me. "I spared you a seat," she added when I had walked over.  
  
Apparently I had gotten there just in time, because just as I had sat down, the Professor appeared in the doorway.  
  
"Silencio!" he shouted and the room became all silent.  
  
I took a closer look at him. I had to admit that he did look very much like Dumbledore – the headmaster, but I mean... he couldn't be his son, could he?  
  
Frederic Dumbledore was of normal height and probably normal weight as well – he wasn't fat or something. He had dark hair, but not entirely black, more brown, with some grey in it.  
  
"Welcome to Defence against the Dark Arts!" he said loudly and his voice echoed between the walls. "I am Professor Frederic Dumbledore."  
  
A boy in the back of the room raised his hand.  
  
"Yes, Mr. –"  
  
"Watts," said the boy.  
  
It was William Watts, a Gryffindor boy, curious like no one I had ever met, and he didn't bother to wait and see, he wanted to know everything in the exact same moment as he started to wonder.  
  
"Yes, Mr. Watts?"  
  
"Are you related to our Headmaster?"  
  
"Do you believe that is relevant for this subject, Mr. Watts?"  
  
William blushed slightly, something he didn't usually do. He was not the kind of person who was afraid of saying what he felt and thought.  
  
"No," he admitted.  
  
"Does anyone in this room think that's relevant for this subject?"  
  
No one said a single word.  
  
"What do you believe that you're going to do in this classroom, Mr. Watts?"  
  
"Learn to Defence ourselves against the Dark Arts?" he suggested weakly.  
  
"Exactly. Now, do you think that you are learning to Defence yourself against the Dark Arts right now?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Does anyone in this room believe that you are learning Defence against the Dark Arts right now?" the Professor said.  
  
No one raised their hand and the room was totally silent.  
  
"Your fellow students don't appear to think they are learning what they are supposed to be learning in this classroom right now. Do you know why?"  
  
"Because I asked something that hasn't got anything to do with this subject," William said weakly.  
  
"Exactly. Now, do you understand that asking questions about things that hasn't got anything to do with this subject is a complete waste of time?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"So?!"  
  
"Sorry Professor, it won't happen again."  
  
"That's the way it should sound! Now, let's move on to something a little more relevant," he added, with a nasty glare at William, who would begin to cry any minute if the Professor continued.  
  
The girl who sat next to him raised her hand. She was Julianne Morrison, William's latest girlfriend, a small but self-confident girl with orange hair.  
  
"Yes, Miss?"  
  
"Miss Morrison."  
  
"Miss Morrison."  
  
"I have a question which I do believe is relevant for this subject," she said, her voice steady.  
  
"Let's hear."  
  
"I was wondering what we are going to call you since we don't want to mix you up with our Headmaster."  
  
Professor Frederic Dumbledore sat down in the chair behind his desk.  
  
"Interesting point, Miss Morrison. What do you suggest yourself?"  
  
She looked surprised by his answer.  
  
"I-I don't know, that was why I asked."  
  
"Oh? I thought that you asked because you wanted all your friends to call me the same as you were going to call me so it wouldn't be a mix-up."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Huh?  
  
"Huh?! What does that mean?" the Professor asked.  
  
"What it means?" Julianne repeated, obviously feeling stupid.  
  
"Yes, Miss, I was wondering what it means. You obviously know what it means, since you use the word. It's not very clever to use words you don't understand, is it?"  
  
"No, but it just slipped out of me since I didn't really understand what you said" Julianne tried.  
  
"What did I say, then?"  
  
"I don't know!"  
  
"You don't know?! Maybe you weren't listening."  
  
"I was listening," she said.  
  
"Then you should know what I said."  
  
"Yeah, but I don't because I didn't understand it."  
  
"Yes, Miss Morrison. Yeah?! What, this is not a rock concert!"  
  
I couldn't help smiling. Yes, he was mean to them, but you have to admit he was funny. And obviously I was not the only one thinking that way, because I could hear giggles from several people around in the classroom.  
  
Julianne was quiet, stared down into the table and held her hand in front of her face. Her shoulders slightly shaking, I was sure that she was struggling with her tears. William pattered her awkwardly on the shoulder.  
  
Professor Frederic Dumbledore looked at his watch.  
  
"I believe this is the end of the lesson. Now," he said, turning to Ginny, "what have you learned here today?"  
  
She stared at him and I knew she was desperately thinking of what to say to not make him go wild on her as well.  
  
"Well?" he said, demanding an answer.  
  
"I-I don't know."  
  
"You don't know what you've learned in this class today? Say one thing you know now which you didn't know before."  
  
That you're an idiot and that this is going to be a long year with you as a teacher? That you have to keep your mouth totally shut during these lessons?  
  
"I-I don't believe that I've learned anything special," she said, finally.  
  
"Listen!" he said, turning to the rest of the class. "This girl here, Miss..."  
  
"Weasley," she said.  
  
"Miss Weasley here, she doesn't – Weasley, eh? – she doesn't believe that she have learned anything here today. And does anyone of you know why?"  
  
No one raised his or her hand. We had learned during the lesson that to survive this class, you just had to keep your mouth shut.  
  
"No one? Have you got any brains inside your little heads or what?"  
  
Everyone was still all quiet, no one daring to say a word. I almost didn't dare breathing, even!  
  
"You haven't got any brains? You can't think?"  
  
Then finally a Ravenclaw boy named Dan or something raised his hand, hesitating.  
  
"Yes, Mr.?"  
  
"Mr. Johnson" he said. "I do believe that Miss Weasley, as well as the others in this classroom, hasn't learned anything because not a single word about Defence against the Dark Art has been said in her during the past hour."  
  
"Look, we've got an eloquent boy in this class. Like you already."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"And you know what? You're absolutely correct. Miss Weasley, as well as the others in this classroom, hasn't learned anything because two of the students have been wasting our valuable time, asking stupid questions. I expect better next time. Until next time I want you to write an essay on why you are being taught Defence against the Dark Arts. Six hundred words, twelve hundred for Mr. Watts and Miss Morrison. Class dismissed."  
  
"WHAT the heck was THAT?!" I said to Ginny when we had gotten out of the classroom.  
  
"He's worse than any other teacher!" she groaned.  
  
"He never answered the question if he was related to Dumbledore. He avoided the subject, clearly."  
  
"I can't believe he did that to William and Julianne! That was so mean!"  
  
"Obviously there's one thing you need to know to survive the DADA classes this year," I said.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Keep your mouth shut."

* * *

"So what's up with the new DADA teacher?" Ron asked curiously at lunch. "You had him this morning, didn't you? There are several rumours..."  
  
Ginny groaned.  
  
"Don't ask!"  
  
"A little advice with the best of intentions," I said. "Don't ask him anything, don't say anything which you can't swear is entirely correct. And to you," I added, turned to Harry, "for Christ's sake, don't argue with him."  
  
"He can't possibly be worse than Umbridge, can he?" Harry said.  
  
"Depends on the point of view" Ginny said. "He may not be on the Dark Side, but he's way much worse than Snape, I swear."  
  
"So, what did you find out?" Hermione asked, curiously. "Is he related to Dumbledore? I mean, Headmaster-Dumbledore."  
  
"I don't know," Ginny said. "William Watts tried to ask him but that didn't really go well."  
  
"What do you mean?" Ron said.  
  
"You'll see," I said.

* * *

It was lunch a couple of days later, but I spent the time in the library, writing the essay for the Defence against Dark Arts, which actually was the following lesson. I didn't remember the reason why I hadn't written it before. The previous night I had been so sleepy that it had appeared to be a great idea to write the essay on the lunch before the class. But now, my stomach told me that skipping lunch wasn't such a good idea as I had thought. I just finished the essay when Harry approached me.  
  
"Hi, Tamara."  
  
"Oh, hi Harry. What's up?"  
  
"We've set a date for the Gryffindor quidditch tryouts, we're setting up an announcement on the note board tomorrow."  
  
"Oh yeah? When are the tryouts, then?"  
  
"September 21st. Are you trying out?"  
  
"Yeah, I might do. It could be cool."  
  
"Sorry for taking back the seeker position. You did a great job, you would really deserve it."  
  
"Doesn't matter, you're better anyway. And I knew that it only was temporarily. But being a chaser could be cool."  
  
"You have a great chance of getting the position, I think."  
  
"Thanks," I said, flattered by this compliment from the-boy-who-lived himself.  
  
"Isn't your class starting right now?"  
  
I looked at my watch. Not now, but in... half a minute?! Oh, shit.  
  
"Oh shit!" I also exclaimed. "I've got to go."  
  
"Hurry up, who knows what Professor Frederic Dumbledore will put you through for being late."  
  
So I grabbed my books and practically sprinted out of the library and through the corridors to the DADA classroom. I arrived there one minute late, and the door was closed. I took a deep breath before opening it.  
  
"You're late, Miss..."  
  
"Malfoy," I said quietly, sat down on the one and only empty seat which also happened to be one in the front, right next to the door.  
  
"Miss Malfoy, you're late."  
  
"I know, I-"  
  
"Could you come up here, please?"  
  
I rose hesitatingly and walked up to the blackboard, on which he had written a couple of sentences.  
  
"Could you please read those sentences which are written on the blackboard out loud?" he said and walked over to the door.  
  
"Oh, well, then..." I started.  
  
"I don't believe it says oh, well, then, does it?"  
  
I ignored the comment and started to read.  
  
"We are learning to-"  
  
Bang.  
  
I looked up. The professor had opened the door and closed it again. I was just about to open my mouth and ask what was going on when I noticed the way he glared at me, so I decided it would be the best to just continue reading. Therefore I returned to the blackboard.  
  
"We are learning to defend ours-"  
  
Bang.  
  
I looked up again.  
  
"Just keep reading" he said innocently. "Don't care about me."  
  
"We are learning to defend ourselves aga-"  
  
Bang.  
  
I looked up again, irritated.  
  
"I can't read if you keep on opening and shutting the door," I said.  
  
"Oh, you can't? What a surprise."  
  
"Er... excuse me but what was the point of this? I don't rea-"  
  
"I don't excuse you," he interrupted.  
  
I looked hesitatingly at him, not daring to open my mouth. Whatever I said, he would say something nasty back.  
  
"Do you understand that it is hard to keep on talking when someone interrupts?" he said.  
  
"Yes," I said.  
  
"But that is exactly what you just did," he said.  
  
"I apologize," I whispered. "I didn't mean to-"  
  
"What? Speak up, Miss, I can't hear you."  
  
"I apologize!" I exclaimed.  
  
He continued glaring nasty at me, everything while the other students were watching.  
  
"Calm down, and stop disturbing the lesson by standing in front of the blackboard, shouting!"  
  
"But you asked me to-"  
  
"Did I ask you to stand here and shout?"  
  
I didn't have the strength to reply, so I just walked back to my seat and was just going to sit down when he attacked me again.  
  
"Where do you think you're going, Miss Malfoy?"  
  
"Sit down," I said, tired. I didn't really care about the others watching me. Most of all, I just wanted to punch the Professor straight into his nasty face.  
  
"Did I ask you to sit down?"  
  
"No, but you asked me to stop disturbing the lesson by standing in front of the blackboard."  
  
"Check your watch, Miss Malfoy. What does it tell you?"  
  
I looked at the watch.  
  
"That it's 1:00 PM."  
  
"Which means that half of the lesson has passed, all thanks to you. Imagine what your fellow students could have learned in this time."  
  
"But I could sit down now and the lesson could start," I tried.  
  
"Loss of valuable time," he continued. "What if there is an attack tomorrow, and just because of you arriving late your fellow students will not be able to defend themselves. Guilty, wouldn't you be?"  
  
"Professor, could you please stop-"  
  
"Oh, so now you're asking me to stop? Who started by coming late?"  
  
"What do you want me to say?!" I asked, desperately.  
  
"I want you to arrive in time!"  
  
"I will, promise."  
  
"Ha! We'll see..."

* * *

Author's note: Huh, quite a nice professor, isn't he? And yeah, I got the blackboard-reading-thingy from a movie I've seen.  
  
Still lovin' reviews and its reviewers – constructive criticism, praise, whatever, just write something, K?  
  
Until then,  
  
Megafreak 


	13. Quidditch Tryouts Nr 3 and Talking

**Disclaimer:** I'm fourteen and still in school. I created Harry Potter? Yeah, right I'm an infant prodigy.  
  
**Review-thank yous:  
**  
ViviBlack – Oh, thanks. A guy in a movie I saw inspired me, I just made him a little more evil!  
  
Kagome Sengoku – Huh, creepy. Thanks. And Flitwick is head if Ravenclaw, apparently.  
  
Gilraen – Thought it ruined the whole movie, huh? I _finally_ saw the movie a couple of days ago and the thing bugging me is that I thought Pettigrew was supposed to be _thin_, wasn't he? Also, I had this imagination that he wore glasses, but maybe that wasn't said in the book. I don't usually read very carefully so maybe I just made that up. Anyway, thanks for the review.

* * *

**Chapter 13 – Quidditch tryouts Nr. 3 and Talking**  
  
I was getting used to this by now, the quidditch tryouts, considering this being my third tryout. Ginny and I decided to team up for some practise in the evenings the week before. She was a great chaser, honestly. I played keeper while she was practising, and vice versa. I was quite good as a keeper, remember how I almost got the position as the keeper last year but lost it to Ron? But yet, she managed to score quite a lot. She would easily get a position in the team. I, on the other side, had big problems making a single goal, even though she honestly wasn't much of a keeper. No way that I was getting in, not if I played like this. And that was sad, especially considering that I had enjoyed substituting for Harry last year very much.  
  
"So, how's quidditch practise going?" Ron asked one morning while we were all sitting, eating breakfast. Harry had returned to his depressed condition and Hermione was trying to cheer him up.  
  
"Awfully," I said.  
  
"Great!" Ginny said happily.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
I glared at Ginny.  
  
"She's a natural talent," I said.  
  
"But you're also good," she said.  
  
"Thanks, but that's so not true. I suck," I told Ron.  
  
"Oh, by the way," Ginny said, "I have to finish my muggle studies essay tonight, and tomorrow I'll be hanging out with Dean since it's his birthday, so I can't have any more practise, sorry."  
  
"It's cool."  
  
"Oh, is it 7:30 already? I have to go," she said, stood up and hurried out of the Great Hall.  
  
Ron and I ate in silence; Hermione was still trying to make Harry smile.  
  
"Come on, Harry, I know he would have wanted you happy..."  
  
"I don't care what he wanted! I bloody killed him, Hermione! It's all my fault."  
  
"It wasn't your fault, Voldemort tricked you, and you know that..."  
  
"You know," Ron said to me, "if you want to, maybe we could practise a little today and tomorrow."  
  
"Would you?" I said. "That would be great. Even though I probably won't get on the team, but..."  
  
"Never say never. Plus, I need to warm up a little before all the practise starts. Remember how it went last year, huh?"

* * *

"You need more fighting spirit!" he shouted during the practise. "More power, you know?"  
  
"I'm a useless chaser!" I exclaimed and threw the quaffle in pure frustration towards one of the holes.  
  
Ron, thoroughly unprepared on the sudden attack, didn't have a chance. It was my first score during the practise.  
  
"That's the way I like it!" he shouted while flying over to get the quaffle. "At least as long as you're on my team."  
  
So I tried again, but I just couldn't get it.  
  
"Try thinking of something that makes you really angry," he said.  
  
Ha, piece of cake, because there were loads. The thing that I had been born into wrong family, maybe. My father, who was one of Voldemort's most active supporters. Professor Frederic Dumbledore, and his way of treating us. The fact that almost every girl I knew had a boyfriend but I hadn't...  
  
"Hey, Tamara, still with me? Throw the damn quaffle!"  
  
And with all the power and strength that was stored in my arm I threw the quaffle really hard towards the goals, which he was guarding, without aiming very precisely. The quaffle hit him straight into the shoulder, causing him to make a roll on his broom and almost fall of.  
  
"Hey, what was that?!" he shouted while diving to fetch the quaffle again.  
  
"I threw the quaffle, like you asked me to!" I shouted back.  
  
"You aimed for me!"  
  
"Did not!  
  
"Did too."  
  
"Not on purpose."  
  
"You need to aim a little better, I believe. But you've got the strength trick now, obviously."  
  
"Oh yeah."  
  
It was getting darker, so we decided to go back to the common room. I was angry and frustrated because of the bad practise, plus I was really tired, and went straight to bed.

* * *

But I was lucky. I had a good day when the day of the tryouts, plus there were very few talents trying out. Ginny easily got the first one and for want of better players, I got the second one.  
  
"You are talented, you know," Harry told me. "You could be something, but maybe you need some practise."  
  
"I hope so."  
  
Otherwise, if I didn't get better, I would embarrass myself totally in front of the whole school and perhaps make my team lose.  
  
"You could keep practising, even when it's not team practise. If you've got time, of course."  
  
"That sounds like a good idea. Have you made up a schedule for the team practises?" I asked.  
  
"Working on it."  
  
We were the only one left now at the quidditch pitch, so we took our brooms and walked towards the castle. We hadn't realized that a certain blond slytherin boy had been watching us and now approached us.  
  
"Chaser, huh?" Draco said and made us both turn around. "Never give up, do you?"  
  
"Watching, haven't you been?" I said.  
  
"It's important to know your enemies," he answered smirking with a nasty glare at Harry. "Seems to be an easy slytherin victory this year."  
  
"Why do you think?" Harry said.  
  
"I mean, look at the teams! We've got all old, experienced players; you've got like... three new, three from last year and one with some kind of experience. Face it, Potter."  
  
"It'll be interesting to see, then," I said and turned around, grabbed Harry's arm and pulled him with me when I was walking towards the castle.  
  
"We'll see," Harry muttered.  
  
We walked silently for a while.  
  
"It's hard to believe that you are siblings even though you look so alike," he said suddenly. "You remind me of someone... I used to know" he added and looked suddenly that run down again.  
  
"Think so? Who?"  
  
"My-my godfather. The only one in the whole world who ever..." his voice disappeared.  
  
"You had a godfather? What was he like, then?"  
  
"He was best friends with my dad at Hogwarts... a marauder, wild guy you know, but somehow he calmed down later."  
  
"But you've been living with muggles, right? I mean, if he was your guardian angel, then..."  
  
"It's a long story," Harry said. "I don't know if I should..."  
  
"It's cool. I've gotten past the phase of feeling insulted when this kind of stuff happens."  
  
"Sorry that I can't tell you. Anyway, he run away from home when he was sixteen, his whole family was death eaters. He... he had a brother, actually. His brother became a Death Eater but tried to back out, and then he got... killed."  
  
"I know what you're saying," I said, "that Draco's a junior Death Eater and one of You-know-who's supporters but I'm not that sure, really."  
  
"I never said-"  
  
"But you meant it, didn't you?"  
  
"Maybe," he admitted.  
  
"I know you are enemies and that he behaves really badly against you but... he's not thoroughly bad and it's definitively not sure that he is on the Dark Side, neither my mum. It's more my dad..."  
  
"But he's in Azkaban now. You sent him there, and your mum went crazy, wanted to throw her out of the house. She didn't, I heard?"  
  
"Draco convinced her otherwise."  
  
"He did?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
We were inside the castle now, and could spot the portrait of the Fat Lady further away in the corridor.  
  
"Your godfather, he died, didn't he?"  
  
"How d-"  
  
"You told me something that evening last year."  
  
"Oh. Yeah, his whole life was a mess. Hopefully you'll have a nicer life than his."

* * *

**Author's note:** There it goes, another chapter finished.  
  
If anyone is reading this right now without planning to review, please just write something because it means really much. And to those faithful persons who have reviewed almost every chapter; lovin' you!  
  
I also wanted to ask those who have seen the PoA movie; there's one thing bugging me. W hen they transformed Pettigrew into a human; he wore a suit or something, right? But then he changed back into a rat, and his suit was left on the ground. So... where does it come from when they transform him into a human, just pops up out of empty air, huh?  
  
Yeah, whatever.  
  
Until next chapter,  
  
Megafreak 


	14. Am I the Only One Not Hooking Up With So...

**Disclaimer:** The amazing world of Harry Potter's does not belong to me, unfortunately, but to Her Majesty JK. Rowling, Queen of all Literature. Thereby all credits should go to her.  
  
**Review-thank yous:**  
  
ViviBlack – Yeah, I don't want to make her their new best friend, but I didn't want her to be that lonely any more either. Thanks!  
  
Gilraen or Mirkwoodmage – I'm sure you're right, like I said; I'm don't pay much attention to such things when I'm reading.  
  
Mirkwoodmage – Well of course I don't think he should be naked when he is transformed into a human coz there are loads of kiddos watching the movie, especially when the DVD is released, but then his suit shouldn't be left on the ground when he changes back into a rat. But maybe it looks better that way.  
  
Pussin Boots – Thanks for both reviews. About that fighting thing, I thought about something like that but maybe not exactly like you described it, and not yet either. Maybe later.

* * *

**Chapter 14 – Am I the Only One Not Hooking up with Someone?**  
  
The days passed in a blur of homework, essays, classes and quidditch practises. About the last-named one, luckily I did get at least a little better. The rest of the team helped me a lot.  
  
Sadly, I didn't score in the first game, which was against Hufflepuff. I kept telling myself that was because Harry had caught the snitch after such a short time. I did pass Ginny the quaffle once, though, and she scored, her only score in that game. Alicia did three, but she's both experienced and talented. Well, naturally, we won the game even though my contribution wasn't that brilliant.  
  
Soon I found myself facing the fact that Christmas was only about a month away. The snow came early this year. I was sitting at one of the dreadful Defence against the Dark Arts classes, staring out through the window. Professor was lecturing someone up again, this time it was a Ravenclaw girl who hadn't done her homework since she was moaning her old family owl, who had died because of age. Since the quidditch practise the previous evening I knew that it was very cold outside, colder than it usually was during this time of the year. Thank god the next quidditch game, the one against Ravenclaw, wasn't until March. The Slytherin game that I was dreading was to take place some time in late April, I believe.  
  
However, I was staring out through the steamed window at the snowflakes, which were calmly floating down from the sky. It was like the whole castle was filled with this warm Christmas feeling, even though it was a month left.  
  
Then I caught sight of a couple, standing outside the castle, making out intensely. The couple seemed oddly familiar even on this distance, the boy with flaming red hair and the brown-haired girl, and then I realized who they were.  
  
I puffed Ginny in the side and pointed discretely out through the window. She looked there, made big eyes and smiled.  
  
"I knew it," she whispered. "They had it coming for a long time."  
  
"It was obvious from day one," I added.  
  
"They look cute together!"  
  
"Miss Weasley, Miss Malfoy, are there something you'd like to share with the class?" the Professor's voice rang through the classroom.  
  
"No," I said quickly, dreading the upcoming little 'talk'.  
  
"Then may I ask why you were discussing it during the Defence against the Dark Arts class?"  
  
"I'm really sorry, Professor, it won't happen again," Ginny tried.  
  
"Oh, so you're sorry? That makes it all good, doesn't it? It makes us all go back in time and change history so that you never interrupted the lesson?"  
  
We both stared at him.  
  
"No, but-"  
  
"Then why did you say you're sorry if it doesn't matter?"  
  
"She was just being polite," I said, irritated.  
  
"Do you believe it is polite to interrupt the lesson, Miss Malfoy?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Then I don't believe she was being polite."  
  
"No."  
  
"But then again, why did you say that she was being polite if she wasn't?"  
  
"Well, she was when she said she's sorry..."  
  
"An essay on eight hundred words telling me what you were talking about, Miss Malfoy, for your rudeness."  
  
I couldn't believe my ears. An essay telling him what we were talking about?! I mean, what kind of teacher gives that kind of punishments?!  
  
"And for you, Miss Weasley, an essay containing five hundred words explaining the meanings of the word _sorry_. Class dismissed."  
  
I took my book and walked out of the classroom, really pissed. Ginny followed.  
  
"I don't believe it!" I exclaimed. "What kind of essay-subjects are those?!"  
  
"Honestly, he's the most useless DADA teacher ever," Ginny agreed. "He's worse than Umbridge. Even though we only were reading in her classes, at least we learned something! What have he taught us?"  
  
"All the time goes to lecturing people for trifles," I said. "I wonder if he really is related to Dumbledore. The headmaster-Dumbledore."  
  
"Like we've said; it is not a very common name. But we would know, wouldn't we? I mean, people would know, just."  
  
"I'm curious," I said.  
  
"Since our dear DADA professor doesn't tell us, maybe we should ask Dumbledore – the headmaster," Ginny suggested.  
  
"Yeah, right! I can just imagine it; 'Excuse me, Professor Dumbledore, but are you related to the new DADA teacher?' I'm not asking him, at least."  
  
"Whatever," she said. "But I'm glad to see that Ron and Hermione are finally admitting their feelings."  
  
"Me too," I agreed, even though it felt like I wasn't telling the entire truth. I mean, of course I was happy for them, but it was still irritating that like every student in the school had hooked up with someone. Except for me, of course.  
  
By this time we had reached the common room and our dormitory and laid the books away.  
  
"So," I said, "are you coming?"  
  
"Huh?" she said. I obviously dragged her back from some kind of daydream.  
  
"Lunch," I reminded her.  
  
"Oh. You go, I'm waiting for Dean."  
  
I sighed and went down to eat my lunch, obviously alone. When I reached the Great Hall I looked over the Gryffindor table to see someone who I could sit with, but nope. I didn't really feel for sitting with the first and second years. Ron and Hermione were sitting at the end, but they didn't really look like they wanted to be disturbed, if you know what I mean...  
  
Finally I sat down next to Parvati and Lavender Brown. I don't really know them, we've never said a single word to each other, and I didn't bother saying hello since they didn't even seem to notice me. I ate in silence while listening to their conversation.  
  
The subject of their conversation made me feel even more miserable. You see, the subject happened to be boys. Out of what I could hear, Lavender was currently with Seamus Finnigan, her Ravenclaw twin sister Padma was currently seeing a Ravenclaw boy and Lavender "had almost got" a fellow Hufflepuff student. I mean, was I miserable or not?!  
  
When having finished my lunch I hurried to the library to possibly see if I could write something on an assignment in Herbology. I managed to write quite a lot, especially considering the fact that the whole pairing thing was buzzing around in my head meanwhile. I left the classroom ten minutes before my class, Arithmancy, started and went back to the common room to get my books before heading for the class.  
  
I met Hermione in the common room, doing some homework I believe, when I had fetched my books.  
  
"Congratulations," I said and she looked up.  
  
"Pardon?"  
  
"Congratulations. I knew you guys had it coming," I repeated.  
  
"Oh... thanks, I guess."  
  
"Hi guys!"  
  
We both turned around to face Harry.  
  
"Hi, Harry, how's it going with Miss Hufflepuff?" Hermione added. "Susan Bones, the last victim to Harry's irresistible charm," she added to me.  
  
"Good," he said, smiling. "I've got her, almost."  
  
I sighed and turned around.  
  
"I've got a class. See you around!"  
  
Was I really the only one not hooking up with someone?

* * *

See the button down there? It says go. You're supposed to press it, you know.  
  
Use your imagination and free your soul,  
  
Megafreak 


	15. Making Plans for the Future

**Disclaimer:** Hogwarts belongs to Dumbledore, Harry belongs to JK. Rowling. Tamara belongs to me and heaven belongs to God. Bla, bla.  
  
**Author's Note July 3, 2004:** This is practically the same chapter as before – I just changed a little bit, I wasn't too satisfied, I'm still not, but... if you've read it already, you don't have to read it again. It's not very changed.  
  
**Review-thank yous:**  
  
**Imprisoned** – Thanks, ::blushing::, agree with everything you say. I don't want Draco to be completely evil either; he kind of fascinates me. Who knows? He might actually be a nice guy... what the heck am I talking about? He's a character from a book!  
  
**ViviBlack** – Might be an idea. Hm... actually it sounds very appealing. Oh, I dunno, I'll see what I'll do. Thanks, keep reviewing!  
  
**Kagome Sengoku** – Heh, thanks. I think almost everyone can relate to the feeling that the whole world around is hooking up, but you're not. It's annoying!  
  
**Croaker** – Glad you liked it, did you read the whole story?

* * *

**Chapter 15 – Making Plans for the Future**  
  
So Christmas passed by, and it was time for my career advice with Professor McGonagall. I thought it was going to be rather interesting. You see, I hadn't made any kinds of plans for the future for myself.  
  
So it was with curiosity that I went to McGonagall's office for the career advice instead of the DADA class. Lucky me, I had gotten the advice-time on the DADA class.  
  
"Welcome, Miss Malfoy. Sit down."  
  
"Thank you," I said and sat down on the other side of the desk from her.  
  
"So, here we are. Have you been thinking about what you'd like to be?"  
  
"Er... not really," I said.  
  
"What would you enjoy doing?"  
  
"I don't know," I said.  
  
"No ideas?"  
  
I simply shook my head.  
  
"Let's take it the other way, then. Which subjects do you enjoy? What do you enjoy doing?"  
  
"I-I don't know, really," I said, starting to feel stupid.  
  
"Work at the Ministry, maybe?"  
  
"Is not that appealing to me," I admitted.  
  
"Auror?"  
  
"I'm not sure that would fit my personality," I said.  
  
"Teacher?"  
  
"I don't know which subject that would be. I don't have a favourite subject or something that I'm extra good in."  
  
"Healer?"  
  
"Not like dream job, but that could work," I said.  
  
She sighed.  
  
"Then tell me, what is your dream job?" she asked, sounding a little desperate.  
  
"I don't know!"  
  
"You're in the quidditch team, right? Quidditch player, perhaps."  
  
"Depends on which position," I said. "I'm not much of a chaser."  
  
"You could apply for the seeker position during your last year, when Harry has graduated."  
  
"I might do that, if I don't get the chaser-thing right."  
  
"Seriously, now. Would you like to be a quidditch player?"  
  
"I enjoy playing quidditch, but I'm not like a super talent, I'm not that brilliant."  
  
"You said healer would be okay, maybe that's something. I think you'd do well as a healer."  
  
Healer? The more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea. It could be cool.  
  
"It might be," I admitted. "Which classes should I take for the NEWTs, then?"  
  
"Let me se... potions, obviously," she said and I groaned inside. Another two years with Snape? No, thanks! "Herbology could be very useful," she continued. "Care of Magical Creatures, Transfiguration perhaps, Charms might be good. Defence against the Dark Arts."  
  
"Oh – okay."  
  
"But again, the more NEWTs you take, the better. Things like... Muggle Studies, for example, might not seem to be useful, but can be useful if someone wants to try alternative cures."  
  
"Oh. But I'm not taking Muggle Studies."  
  
"It's not necessary. Oh, I see we're running low on time. Anything more?"  
  
"No, not really."  
  
"See you in class, then."  
  
"Thank you, Professor.!  
  
"Hey, Tamara!" Ginny said when I entered the common room later that afternoon. She was sitting in a couch with Dean. "What did McGonagall say?"  
  
I walked over to join them, but didn't sit down. I didn't want to interrupt their little 'session'.  
  
"She just said I'd do well as a healer," I said.  
  
"Healer? Well, that's cool."  
  
"Yeah, maybe. I don't know. But I'd have to take classes like Potions and DADA. Great!" I added sarcastically.  
  
"Don't McGonagall's advices too seriously," Dean warned. "She told me that I should be driving the Knight Bus."  
  
Ginny and I laughed.  
  
"Did she really?" Ginny said.  
  
"Yep."  
  
"Wonder what she's going to tell me," Ginny said curiously.  
  
"When are you seeing her?"  
  
"Tomorrow, during the last lesson."  
  
"Herbology?"  
  
"Exactly. It's going to be interesting..."  
  
"You are not going to believe this!" Ginny said the following afternoon.  
  
I had been sitting in the library, writing another essay for Professor Frederic Dumbledore. He said I had been stammering when I was reading a chapter from 1001 ways to defend yourself out loud, so he assigned me an essay containing five hundred words about stammering. Okay, I had been stammering, but that was only because he scared me!  
  
"What, Ginny?"  
  
"I had my career advice with McGonagall, you know?"  
  
"Yes, what did she say?" I asked curiously.  
  
"She told me I should start a coffee bar in Diagon Alley."  
  
"A Coffee Bar," I repeated.  
  
"I know it sucks, you don't have to tell me!" she whined and threw herself down beside me on the couch.  
  
"It could be cool, honestly. Which NEWTs did she recommend?"  
  
"Potions – imagine two more years with Snape-"  
  
"Then you could keep me company."  
  
"-Herbology, that's okay. Plus usual 'good-to-know'-subjects such as Charms, Transfiguration, Care of Magical Creatures, you know. Muggle Studies. But I don't want to have a damn coffee bar!" she complained. "I want to be an auror, I want to fight against the Dark Side like the rest of my family! Everyone always tells me I'm to small or something, but I mean, am I still too young when I'm nineteen or what?!"  
  
"Calm down, Ginny! Of course you can do whatever you want, it's your decision! It's only advices."  
  
She snorted.  
  
"I'm going to show them! I'm going to show who can fight..."  
  
"Just don't do anything stupid, Ginny."  
  
She sighed.  
  
"Of course I won't, not purposely. So what are you doing?"  
  
Now it was my turn to sigh.  
  
"Writing that damn essay about stammering."  
  
"Oh, yeah. I can't believe it, what kind of punishment is that? He never gives detentions or something."  
  
"I know! He always orders us to write essays," I said. "There's something wrong with him, I just can't figure out what."  
  
"Have you noticed that he's always avoiding questions? Even if they're about DADA?"  
  
"No, but you're right. He does."  
  
She shrugged.  
  
"Whatever," I said, "I have to go to the library, I've got a potions essay."  
  
The essay was to be on one thousand words, about the Polyjuice Potion. I decided to go over to the library for an hour before dinner. Because of all the time I had spent there in my earlier years, I was able to find a fitting book already after five minutes; 17 potions to change yourself into another person by someone called Marina Baker.  
  
This was probably one of the busiest times of the year, classes starting again after the Christmas Holiday and OWLs and NEWTs coming closer. Anyway, my point is that the library was almost filled with students. There wasn't a single empty table, but I caught sight of Harry, sitting alone at one of the tables and decided to go over and sit with him.  
  
"Hi, okay if I sit here?"  
  
He looked up.  
  
"Yeah, sure."  
  
"It's really packed with people."  
  
"Yeah," he said, sounding very unaware of what I was saying, so I decided to just leave him alone. I'm not that kind of person who likes forcing myself upon somebody.  
  
So instead I opened my book and turned over to page 134, where the index had told me there would be something about the Polyjuice potion. After having read a couple of pages I pulled out a piece of parchment and my quill from my bag and started writing.  
  
The Polyjuice Potion  
  
The polyjuice potion is especially used for transforming a person used into another person-  
  
Sigh.  
  
I looked up. Harry had shut his book and was now staring straight into the empty air.  
  
"Are you okay?" I asked.  
  
"Huh? Yeah, sure."  
  
I looked at the book that he just had slammed. It looked old, almost ancient, the colour starting to fade away and so the golden letters, although it was still possible to read them.  
  
"The Biggest Mysteries of the Wizarding World," I read out loud. "Were you looking for anything special?"  
  
"No, nothing important."  
  
"Sure? Because you look very disappointed."  
  
He sighed again, almost the only thing he did nowadays.  
  
"I was looking for something about... a veil."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
He sighed yet one time.  
  
"Remember last year?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"When you... knocked out your father, you turned around and left. But if you had continued, you would have come to a room with a veil."  
  
"Okay... and why so interested in that veil?" I asked curiously.  
  
"Because... I heard voices from behind. It's some kind of... life between life and death."  
  
"Your godfather," I said suddenly. "He fell in there, didn't he?"  
  
He didn't answer but stared down into the table. From the look on his face, I could tell that I had been right.  
  
"Creepy. But now that you mention, I think I remember reading about it somewhere. Some story about someone visiting the place, but no one believed him when he came back, because there were no witnesses."  
  
"Where did you read about it?" he asked urgently.  
  
"I'm not sure... it might have been in some newspaper... The Quibbler, maybe."  
  
"Are you sure? The Quibbler?"  
  
"Yeah, I think so. Well, I wouldn't like swear on my life, but-"  
  
"Gee, thanks!" he said and rose. "I've got to run, could you put that book back for me?"  
  
"Yeah, su-"  
  
"Thanks!" he said.  
  
Five seconds later he had disappeared through the doors out into the corridor.

* * *

**Author's note:** I've got nothing to say here. Cool, isn't it?! I mean, I always go on blabbing about something totally pointless and that's a complete waste of time, both for me to write and for you to read. I feel really proud that I haven't got anything to write here and can leave this space without a lot of written stuff... er... ooups...  
  
Lovin' you guys who are reviewing. To you who aren't; you can still make a difference. Press go!  
  
Megafreak 


	16. Incapable, Stupid, Unreasonable and Idio...

**Disclaimer:** I didn't own this yesterday and I don't own it today; although tomorrow is another day, and who knows what'll happen in the future! =)  
  
To **Pussin Boots**; Seems like we're all having problems with our computers, ::sigh:: Mine is messing with me as well. Okay, maybe it was rushed, I changed it a little bit but not that much. Hopefully I'm doing better in this chapter.

* * *

**Chapter 16 – Incapable, Stupid, Unreasonable and Idiotic**  
  
The spring came early that year, to many students great luck. In the middle of February, the snow started to melt away and turned into this hated slash, but because of the dazzling sunlight, it soon dried away.  
  
Not that I had much time to enjoy the nice weather. The days passed quickly, filled with classes, homework, OWL preparing which I had decided to start, and quiddich practise. It was merely a month left to our Ravenclaw game, and their team was good.  
  
I had also taken Harry's advice to practise a lot very seriously, and spent at least two days out practising myself, beside the original team practises. I worked hard, and it gave a little of a result. I scored my first points in the Ravenclaw game. Honestly, I did better than ever, even during practises. We also won, after a nervous seeker duel between Harry and his former flame, the Ravenclaw seeker Cho Chang. Guess she wasn't very happy...  
  
Although the amount of homework and exam preparing were steadily growing, Harry decided to expand the team practise and make it two practises a week, to all of his teammates huge stress. That made the little piece of free time that I still had vanish out into emptiness. I tore upon my sleeping time, and slept a maximum of six hours a night. But it wasn't as bad as it sounds, though. I got used to it.  
  
It's amazing how fast the days pass when you have much to do. I thought my brain was overworked and that I was being delirious when I realized that it was only a week left to the dreaded Slytherin game. It was the most important game of the year, since the Slytherin had won over both Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw as well, even with more points than Gryffindor. All together, this meant that we had to be in the lead with fifty points before Harry caught the snitch to win the inter-house cup.  
  
It was a game of a high tempo. The Slythrins were better than ever, even though we still scored more, amazingly. Alicia Spinnet had scored a couple of Gryffindor goals – I wasn't sure of how many though, Ginny one and I had done one as well.  
  
"And Spinnet has got the quaffle," the speaker voice, which nowadays belonged to a sixth year Ravenclaw boy since Lee Jordan had graduated. "Watch out, Spinnet there's a bludger..."  
  
Alicia saw the bludger vaguely coming rushing towards her from the side and rose abruptly to not be hit – and dropped the quaffle.  
  
"Spinnet avoids the bludger – but oooh, she dropped the quaffle... DiLorenzo catches it, makes his way to the Gryffindor goal... Washington, avoids a bludger, back to DiLorenzo who throws the quaffle," his voice growing higher with excitement, "Weasley can't stop it and oooh, there's a Slytherin goal. Gryffindor still in the lead, though, 70-40 to Gryffindor's favour."  
  
The game continued. I concentrated on trying to take the quaffle from the Slytherins, actually got it a couple of times but they immediately retrieved it, while continuing to listen to the speaker for information.  
  
"And – oh shit – sorry for the language – but the Slytherin seeker has spotted the snitch... Potter not far behind..."  
  
A quick glance up in the sky told me that it unfortunately was true. My dear brother, also known as the Slytherin seeker, had found the snitch and was chasing after it, Harry setting after him.  
  
"Problem for the Gryffindors," the speaker continued, sounding like he could explode with excitement any minute now. "If Slytherin catches the snitch they win the cup... both seekers still reaching for it..."  
  
I accelerated, setting after the Slytherin chaser that currently had got the quaffle. Both Alicia, Ginny and one of our beaters were blocking him towards our goal, and it would be impossible for him to get through. He'd have to pass it on, and the only possible way was to DiLorenzo, further down, so I dived to get below him. Obviously, he hadn't seen me yet since he just tried to dropped the quaffle down to his team-mate, and it was very easy for me to catch it.  
  
"Slytherin chaser has got the quaffle, tries to pass to DiLorenzo – but, hey! Where did she come from? Gryffindor chaser retrieves the quaffle... turns around and sets off towards the Slytherin goal... "  
  
I leant as far forwards as I could, trying to go faster although I knew that my broom couldn't possible do so, no matter how hard I tried.  
  
"Meanwhile, neither Slytherin nor Gryffindor has caught the snitch," the speaker said, even if I barely noticed, completely focused on getting close to the Slytherin goal as fast as possible as I was.  
  
I couldn't wait any longer – someone would catch the snitch any minute now, and I reckoned I was close enough. Desperately, with all the strength that I could possibly summon, I threw the quaffle in the direction of the Slytherin goals. The keeper wasn't prepared; his concentration had obviously been on the seeker duel, and the quaffle passed easily through the left goal. One second later, the whistle sounded, indicating that the game was over because the snitch had been caught.  
  
I looked up at the two seekers, not believing what I saw. Maybe my brain was overworked and it disturbed my ability to see, but it appeared to me as the figure dressed in red and gold triumphantly raised one of his arms into the air.  
  
"Believe it or not," said the speaker voice, "But the Slytherin versus Gryffindor game ended in a draw."  
  
I stared out into the empty air. Ginny flew up to me.  
  
"Awesome," she said. "You stopped the Slytherins from winning."  
  
"Thanks," I said, still stunned – both because Harry had caught the snitch and because I had managed to make that goal.  
  
Alicia flew over and joined us as well. "Way to go, Tamara."  
  
I blushed slightly. She was such an experienced and talented chaser that it really felt good getting a compliment from her.  
  
I looked down on the Gryffindor crowd, cheering, acting like we had won – although we hadn't. It had ended in a draw, but somehow everyone seemed satisfied anyway. Harry flew something like a lap of honour around the pitch before diving back to the ground, as did we three girls, the two beaters and Ron, who had still been flying around the goals.  
  
"Brilliant!" Ron exclaimed when the whole team gathered on the ground. I wasn't sure if he was talking to Harry or me, but I didn't bother but took it as a compliment anyway.  
  
There was no time for talk at that moment, since an excited crowd of Gryffindor fellow students came rushing, screaming wildly. We were stuck there on the grass for almost half an hour, being greeted by everyone, before the crowd finally started to drop off, and we could go to the dressing room.  
  
An hour later, we had all changed into our usual robes and were walking into the Great Hall for dinner. Ginny left us for sitting with Dean, but I sat down with the rest of the quidditch team plus Hermione, who also had joined us.  
  
"What a game!" she said.  
  
"Yeah," Ron said. "Worst ever."  
  
"But you did good, Ron," Harry said. "The Slytherins were better than ever."  
  
"Yeah, yeah," Ron said.  
  
We all ate, hungry after the rough game, while having an enthusiastic discussion about quidditch, which Hermione obviously did not enjoy very much. Although she never missed one of Gryffindor's games, she wasn't such an avid fan as the rest of us. She repeatedly tried to change the subject by asking questions, and was disappointed when the asked one simply answered before returning to the discussion. She tried with literally everyone, but as I said, it didn't really work out.  
  
"So what are you planning to do after graduating?" she said, turned to Alicia.  
  
"I'm not sure," Alicia said slowly. "I mean, I'd really like to play quidditch."  
  
Hermione did not seem too satisfied with the answer.  
  
"Try out for the Tornados," I suggested.  
  
"They have three excellent chasers already," she said. "No way they're replacing them already."  
  
"You could always try out for the Chudley Channons," Harry said. "They seem to need some help – ouch, Ron!"  
  
Ron was an avid Chudley Channons fan and did not seem to happy hearing Harry say that 'they seem to need some help'.  
  
I smiled, so engaged in the conversation and joking that I barely noticed that Ginny sat down next to me, looking very unhappy.  
  
"He had to go and write an essay or something," she mumbled when I gave her a questioning look.  
  
Obviously she didn't want to talk about it, and I decided not to try to do so either. If she wanted to talk, she would talk. But I still noticed that something was wrong. She didn't take part in our conversation at all, neither did she smile at any joke, she just sat there, staring down into the table, hardly eating anything.  
  
Later that evening, we were alone in our dormitory since the other girls who we were sharing it with hadn't arrived yet. I was lying on my bed, reading the latest The Quibbler and minding my own business, while she was simply lying on her back on her own bed, minding her own business.  
  
"Tamara?" she said suddenly and I looked up.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I... never mind."  
  
But I laid the magazine aside and rolled over on one side so that I came to face her.  
  
"What?" I said, curiously.  
  
"Nothing," she muttered.  
  
"Come on, tell me," I said. "I see there's something wrong."  
  
A silence fell as she stared up into the ceiling while I continued to gaze curiously at her.  
  
"It's Dean," she said finally.  
  
"What's up with him?"  
  
"I... maybe I'm just being stupid, but it feels like there's something... not quite right."  
  
"What not quite right?" I asked.  
  
"It's like," she started and then paused before continuing. "We never spend time together anymore. He says it's because the exams are coming up and I have my OWLs and the quidditch, but... it's like he's not even trying to get time to see me."  
  
I waited for a while, trying to think of something intelligent to say.  
  
"I'm probably not the right person for this kind of stuff," I said slowly, "but I guess that... maybe you should try talking to him."  
  
"I have tried!" she said and I could tell that she was struggling with her tears. "But he's always busy and... What if he's seeing another girl?!"  
  
"Calm down, Ginny, I don't think he would be without breaking up with you. Besides, at least I haven't noticed him around with another girl."  
  
"Maybe he thinks I'm boring..."  
  
"You are simply busy now, there's no time. At least the quidditch practises are over now. Just wait until the exams have passed, I'm sure everything will be fine."  
  
It was a couple of days later, I was sitting at another of the dreaded Defence against the Dark Arts classes. Professor was handing out some essays we had written a couple of weeks earlier. I looked curiously at mine. P, it said. Poor?! I had expected an Average, at least. Damn idiotic teacher!  
  
Ginny had not arrived to the class. I wondered where she was, but I couldn't think about it a lot because I didn't want to be lectured up by the Professor again for not listening carefully enough. However, now she surprisingly appeared, fifteen minutes late. Professor was looking in another direction, so she quietly slid down on the seat next to mine with her eyes watery, her nose red and her was also slightly shaking when she breathed.  
  
"Are you okay?" I whispered.  
  
She nodded.  
  
"Sure? What's up, Ginny?"  
  
Her shoulders started to shake even more, and she looked down into the table.  
  
"It's Dean," she told me whispering. "We've broken up."  
  
The Professor spun around.  
  
"Well, well," he said. "Look who decided to show up? Miss Weasley, right?"  
  
"Correct," she said quietly.  
  
"What? Speak up, I can't hear you."  
  
"Never mind," she said.  
  
"Why don't you come and stand here in front of the class and tell us all why you're late?" he suggested, but it was really more like an order.  
  
"Could I skip that, Professor?" she begged. "I don't feel very well."  
  
"Then what are you doing in my class? If you aren't feeling well, you should be in the Hospital Wing."  
  
"Tell him you think that the classes are important now before the OWLs," I whispered to Ginny.  
  
"The classes are very important now before the OWLs," Ginny said.  
  
"Correct, young lady. So why did you arrive late and thereby disturb the class if they are so important?"  
  
"Because... I didn't mean to be late."  
  
"I wonder what's so important that you think you can skip fifteen minutes of the Defence against the Dark Arts class."  
  
"It's kind of personal," she said.  
  
"Then it may not steal time from this important class!" he announced. "Leave your personal issues out of here, please."  
  
"It won't happen again," she said and I could tell she had problems keeping her voice at a normal level.  
  
"Imagine if all students came fifteen minutes late to every class," the Professor continued, impassively. "What would that look like?"  
  
"Not good," she said. "But maybe you should start the lesson now."  
  
"You think so?"  
  
"Er... yes."  
  
"Stand up, Miss Weasley," he ordered.  
  
"I beg your pardon?" Ginny said, at least keeping calm enough to speak politely.  
  
"Stand up."  
  
Confused she rose, and the Professor immediately sat down on her chair.  
  
"Now you take the role as a teacher," he said.  
  
"But-"  
  
"It was your idea to start the lesson, right? Then you do so."  
  
She stared down into the floor. "I have to go," she mumbled, grabbed her bag and practically ran out of the classroom.  
  
I stood up as well, as did the Professor.  
  
"Miss Malfoy, where are you going?"  
  
"I-I thought I might should look if she's okay," I stammered.  
  
"You keep thinking. Because you aren't leaving this classroom."  
  
I stared at him.  
  
"Now would you please sit down?"  
  
"No," I replied while continuing staring.  
  
"I beg your pardon?"  
  
"No, I'm not going to sit down," I repeated, amazed that my voice was so strong. "I'm going to leave," I said and grabbed my bag, "but before I do so I'd like to tell you some things."  
  
"And disturb the lesson even more?"  
  
"Yes! I do believe that I speak on behalf of many students in this room when I say that you are without doubt the most incapable, stupid, unreasonable and idiotic Defence against the Dark Arts teacher we have ever had – and we have not had good ones. One has now his memory removed, one is a were-wolf, one was not really the person he said he was and the last one works for the Dark Side. But I have still learned less with you than with any other DADA teacher!"  
  
"Detention three weeks. See you at six o'clock at my office."  
  
"Fuck off," I muttered and marched out of the classroom while feeling the other students surprised burning gazes at the back of my head.  
  
I stumbled down the hall. Oh shit, what had I done?! How could I have said those things to him?! I wandered around aimlessly in the corridors for a while, looking for Ginny, but I didn't see her.  
  
"Tamara?" I suddenly heard a rough voice high above my head. "Aren't yeh supposed to be havin' a class?"  
  
I looked up and straight into Hagrid's big, hairy face.  
  
(A/N Sorry I'm not good at writing Hagrid-talk, but I'll do my best.)  
  
"Hi, Hagrid", I said and thereby avoiding the subject.  
  
"Yeh'd be havin' Defence against the Dark Arts class, wouldn't yeh?"  
  
"There was a little incident", I muttered.  
  
"What kind of incident?" he asked suspiciously.  
  
I didn't answer but looked to the side and out through the window.  
  
"Tamara?" he repeated.  
  
I sighed.  
  
"Okay, he insulted Ginny and she left in tears, then I said some things and left too."  
  
"What kind of things?!"  
  
"That he was... incapable..." I started and heard Hagrid gasp for his breath. "... stupid, unreasonable and idiotic and the worst teacher we've had", I finished quickly.  
  
He sighed.  
  
"Nah yeh didn't?! Honestly, Tamara, I would never have expected yeh to do somethin' like that!"  
  
"I was provoked!"  
  
"Yeh don't know what yeh're messin' in! If yeh'd known the whole story, yeh wouldn't have said that."  
  
"The whole story?" I said curiously.  
  
He sighed again.  
  
"He's been havin' some problems just. No details. There's reasons why he's actin' like he is, that's all."  
  
"What kind of problems?"  
  
"Nah, no details. It's complicated. But yeh should go an' apologize right now."  
  
"Apologize?!"  
  
"Go an' apologize, Tamara", he said in a serious voice.  
  
"Yes, yes, I will", I said.  
  
I said goodbye to Hagrid – with no intentions on really apologizing of course. Besides, the class had obviously ended since I could hear several students coming, and he was probably busy preparing another class. Prepare like in inventing new evil things to say to the students.  
  
Anyway, there was only five more minutes to go before my next class, which happened to be Arithmancy. When I arrived to the common room to pick up my books, several people clapped my shoulder, and the ones who didn't were staring instead.  
  
I also noticed several students staring during the class, not only the one who had been at the previous class, but also the other ones so I guessed someone had told them all. The rumour spread like wildfire, because in the corridors on my way back to the common room after the Arithmancy which also was the last class of the day, I received several smiles and almost everyone I met said something like 'great', 'well done', 'I would never dare doing something like that!' and 'he got what he deserved'.  
  
Because of that, it took me quite a time to reach the common room, and when I had done so, there weren't many students left, most of them had already gone down to have an early dinner, since a quidditch game; Hufflepuff versus Ravenclaw; was to take place this evening. Usually they put them at weekends, but of some unknown reason they had decided to have the game today instead. Maybe because the upcoming weekend was a Hogsmeade weekend.  
  
However, I met Ginny in our dormitory, she was sitting in her bed, writing something. She looked up when I entered.  
  
"I can't believe you said that to the Professor," she said.  
  
"You heard?"  
  
"Of course I heard. Your fight is the only thing people talk about. I can't believe you slapped him in the face."  
  
"I didn't."  
  
"They say you did..."  
  
"I didn't, people are just making it up."  
  
"But you did do something, didn't you?"  
  
"I told him he was the most incapable, stupid, unreasonable and idiotic DADA teacher we've ever had and then I stormed out of the classroom."  
  
A small silence fell before I continued talking.  
  
"I'm hungry, are you coming for dinner?" I said.  
  
"No, I've already eaten."  
  
"Okay... see you later, then. And I'm sorry about Dean."  
  
"Yeah..." she said slowly. "I'll live."  
  
I opened the door and was just about to exit when she spoke again.  
  
"Tamara?"  
  
I spun around.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Thanks."  
  
I smiled. "You're welcome."

* * *

**Author's note:** I'm sure you're all waiting eagerly for the continuation of the teacher/student fight... ::hehe::, lol. Btw, thanks to Pussin Boots for the idea. I was planning to might take the story that way, but didn't really know how to.  
  
About the quidditch thing in the beginning... I know I should have added more details, but I really can't write about quidditch in a detailed way. Honestly, I don't enjoy writing about quidditch but I couldn't just skip it, could I?  
  
But now on to some advertisements from _The Squad against Writers Block_  
  
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This is not true and the Squad against Writers Block has no clue how this theory may have arisen. You simply press go at the bottom of this page, write something nice, or nasty if you'd rather like that, in the window that pops up. Then you press submit review, a big button, hard to miss.  
  
It costs money to submit a review.  
  
Yes, if you are not connected to the Internet with a broadband Internet connection, it appears on the phone bill for those extra seconds you spend on the Internet. But if you are connected to the Internet with a broadband Internet connection, this is no reason to skip reviewing.  
  
It costs time and energy to submit a review  
  
Compared to how long time it should have taken you to read all 16 chapters so far in this fic, lack of time is not an excuse to not submit a review. Neither do we believe that it demands a lot of energy to simply press a couple of buttons.  
  
You have to have something intelligent to say to submit a review  
  
Not true. Unprofessional writers such as the most of them writing for FanFiction.net are do appreciate uncreative reviews such as 'great fic' too.  
_  
Just kidding, lol. =)  
  
I wrote a whole page in Author's note... heh. But even only the story was actually nine pages in Word, so I think it deserves a review.  
  
Until next time then,  
  
Megafreak 


	17. No Way!

**Disclaimer:** Last time I checked I didn't own this. But maybe that changed during the last seconds without anyone telling me?  
  
**Author's note:** I had this chapter typed up for a really long while, but... it needed to be proofread, and I never felt for doing so... plus, my computer is messing with me. It works all right for typing, but then when I'm on the Internet it totally freaks out and shuts itself down.  
  
To **ViviBlack;** I just realized that I never thanked you for reviewing on ch. 15. ::slaps herself very hard in the face:: Thanks really much! It's flattering that you say my stories are one of your favourites, especially since you seem to read quite a lot of them; almost always when I'm reading some story your name is there =) Thanks for the review for ch. 16 as well.  
  
And to **Kagome Sengoku**, Great you got an account. Sadly though, I don't read fics of those kinds you write. But thanks for adding me! ::dances victory dance::

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**Chapter 17 – No Way!**  
  
Everyone stared as I made my way to the Gryffindor table. Someone started to clap his or her hands, but it faded away rather quickly. I blushed violently. Like I've said before, I don't enjoy being in the spotlight. It doesn't match my personality.  
  
"Brilliant!" Ron announced as I sat down.  
  
I smiled shyly.  
  
"I can't believe you did that to a teacher!" Hermione exclaimed in a high- pitched voice. "I agree that he has been acting in a very insulting way, but after all; he's a teacher!"  
  
"Says the girl who attacked Snape in her third year," Ron said and rolled his eyes.  
  
"Oh shut up Ron, will you?"  
  
I chuckled quietly to myself. Actually, listening to their squabble was rather amusing.  
  
"What did you do really?" Harry asked. "I mean, I've heard certain things but the story direct..."  
  
"I said he was the worst teacher we've ever had... but in other words. Then he gave me a detention."  
  
"You're the first student who has been given a detention by him," Ron said and stuck his fork into another piece of chicken.  
  
"You'll miss the game tonight," Harry said, "Hufflepuff versus Ravenclaw."  
  
Yeah, right. I wasn't very upset about that, honestly. But no way I was planning to show up on the detention. I'm usually a quiet and polite girl who never argues, especially not with a teacher, but when somebody passes the line, I can get incredibly mad.  
  
After having finished dinner, I left the others who were leaving as well heading for the quidditch field, and walked up to the dormitory. I couldn't really go and watch the game, could I? I mean, at least Professor McGonagall had been told that I was going to serve detention, and if she saw me... Not to mention all the other students!  
  
I walked upstairs, into my dormitory, and found Ginny, doing some homework, I believe.  
  
"Ginny? Oh, c'mon, go outside and watch the game. You look like you need some fresh air."  
  
She looked up with a wide grin. "I've got a fantastic idea!" she announced.  
  
"Er... okay..." I said, hesitating. Out of my experience, fantastic ideas weren't usually very successful. "What?"  
  
"Harry and you!"  
  
I just stared at her for almost a minute, before I burst out laughing. I laughed so wildly that I had to sit down on my bed.  
  
"Sorry," I said and swept some tears away with the back of my hand. "I didn't mean laughing..."  
  
"But it's a fantastic idea, don't you think?"  
  
"Me and Harry?"  
  
Just the thought almost made me burst out laughing again, but I managed to stop it and only a small giggle slipped out of my mouth.  
  
"Yes, Tamara," she said enthusiastically. "You'd be like the perfect couple!"  
  
"Number one," I said, "Harry's got a girlfriend already, hasn't he?"  
  
"Nope. They never really did get together, and he doesn't seem very disappointed."  
  
"Number two," I continued, "I haven't got any feelings of that kind for him- "  
  
"Don't you think he looks good?"  
  
"Yeah, sure he does, but-"  
  
"And you are good friends."  
  
"Maybe, but-"  
  
"You're perfect for each other, you just don't admit it!"  
  
"Number three," I continued, ignoring her last comment, "he does certainly not like me in that way."  
  
"You haven't asked him-"  
  
"Neither am I planning to!" I interrupted, somehow irritated. "Look, Ginny, I understand you're upset about Dean but... I don't think setting me up with Harry will make you feel better."  
  
"I'm not upset about Dean! Or, well maybe I am, but that's not why I thi-"  
  
"I thought you fancied him, Ginny."  
  
"That was like three years ago," she said and shrugged. "And he definitively never liked me like that."  
  
I sighed. "You go outside and watch the game," I said. "I'd love to come with you, but I can't. However, in two weeks or something, when you've gotten over Dean, we'll talk this over again. Okay?"  
  
She snorted but rose from the bed and walked out of the room.  
  
I sighed. I had enough stuff on my mind without Ginny going on about Harry and me. For the moment, I needed to figure out what to do next. After a while of thinking, I decided to go to the library and do some studying, since it was only about a month left before the OWLs.  
  
The library was all empty except for the librarian and the one person I had not expected to see there at all; my Slytherin brother.  
  
"What are you doing here?" slipped out of me.  
  
He looked up, irritated. "Studying," he snapped. "Like you usually do in the library."  
  
"I just thought that... perhaps you'd be watching the game."  
  
"I would! But McGonagall gave me an extra assignment just because I talked during lesson," he snorted. "Five hundred words, that bitch. What are you doing here? Skipping detention, huh?"  
  
"Studying," I said innocently. "Like you usually do in the library."  
  
"Yeah, whatever. But please skip the rebellious part, please. It doesn't fit you."  
  
"What?"  
  
"The 'telling the teacher he sucks'-part," he said and returned to his assignment.  
  
I sat down at the same table, he looked up shortly, slightly surprised but not saying anything, and I just opened the book that I had brought.  
  
I guess I had read for about fifteen minutes when I heard steps against the library's stone floor and looked up. Professor McGonagall stood there, in front of me, not looking very pleased. Draco looked up as well.  
  
"Hello," he said, "Professor McGonagall, how are you?"  
  
"I'm fine, thank you, Mr Malfoy," she said coolly, pursing her mouth. "Miss Malfoy, I believe you were supposed to be serving detention half an hour ago."  
  
"I..." I said but couldn't think of anything clever to say. "I think there's been a mistake here," I said, finally.  
  
"I don't think so," she replied. "Professor Frederic Dumbledore was very sure that you were supposed to appear at his office at six o'clock."  
  
I threw a glance at Draco. He simply sat there, leaning back in the chair, watching and apparently enjoying the scene with a smirk on his face.  
  
"But if you don't agree on serving detention," McGonagall said, "I guess you are about to see the Headmaster, as soon as the Quidditch game is finished. He will expect your appearance at eight o'clock. Now, will you excuse me, I am going back to watch the rest of the game."  
  
I looked after her as she marched away.  
  
"Damn it!" I muttered and put my head in my hands, staring out through the window on the small part of the ongoing quidditch game that could be seen through the windows in the library.  
  
But I was yet making my way to the Headmaster's office at five minutes to eight that very same evening. The portrait was already swung open, so there was no need for the password. I entered the moving staircase and it took me up and into his office.  
  
Dumbledore was already sitting in the chair behind his desk and saw me immediately when I entered the room.  
  
"Welcome, Miss Malfoy", he said and took out his wand. He swung it in the air and conjured up a chair at the opposite side of the desk. "Have a seat."  
  
I sat down uncomfortably on the very edge of the chair.  
  
"Headmaster wanted to see me?" I said.  
  
"Yes", he said. "It has come to my knowledge that you have not showed up to the detention, which you were supposed to serve."  
  
"It's a mistake", I said.  
  
He raised his eyebrows. "Really? Out of the version of your behaviour in class that I have heard; you simply rushed out of the classroom after having said certain things, which it's obvious that you will be punished after having said."  
  
"I felt provoked."  
  
"Emotional rages are no reason to insult a teacher in such a way."  
  
"He has been provoking and insulting students during the whole year," I informed. "Today he made Ginny Weasley leave the classroom crying. Ask anyone, he's a..." my voice faded away.  
  
I had planned to say 'a pain in the ass', but maybe those weren't the right words to use in front of the Headmaster.  
  
An uncomfortable silence fell in the room. It felt a little like I was prosecuted for some crime, and was awaiting the judge to make his decision.  
  
"I believe I will have to report this to your mother," he said finally.  
  
I stood up abruptly.  
  
"No, no," I begged. "You don't understand, Professor, if I..." my voice disappeared and I sank down onto the chair again.  
  
"If you what, Miss Malfoy?" he asked calmly.  
  
I took a deep breath before starting to talk in a low but fast voice.  
  
"She'll throw me out. She almost did last year, after I made father go to Azkaban. If I misbehave in any way, if I even just stick a toe outside the line, she'll throw me out. I'll be homeless."  
  
"What makes you think that the rumour won't reach her anyway? Your brother, for instance..."  
  
"He won't tell her," I said. "Not if he knows that she might try to throw me out again."  
  
"I won't write to your mother, then," he said. "But I will be investigating this little incident. You may leave."  
  
I rose again from the chair and started walking towards the exit. Just before reaching it, I suddenly turned around again.  
  
"Am I still supposed to be serving detention?" I asked.  
  
"Yes," he said. "It's the best that way."  
  
I didn't bother arguing, but just nodded and left.  
  
I arrived back to the common room ten minutes later, where almost all of the Gryffindor students were gathered. Ginny saw me immediately and waved me over to where she was sitting, alone in a corner doing some studying.  
  
"Tamara, what are you doing?" she whispered.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Don't you think people know? Skipping detention! Your teacher-fight is like the hottest rumour in the whole school, I even heard some seventh years talking about it. Why didn't you go to detention?"  
  
"I didn't feel he had a reason to give me one at all," I said simply.  
  
"But why did you tell me you were going?"  
  
"Because... I knew you'd not like the idea. And I was right, wasn't I?"  
  
"Where have you been, then?"  
  
"McGonagall came and ordered me to go and see Dumbledore... who won the game?" I said, trying to change the subject.  
  
"Ravenclaw," Ginny said before returning to the original subject, unwilling to let go of the details of my whereabouts that night. "You talked to Dumbledore? What did he say? Is it his son?"  
  
"I don't know if he's Dumbledore's son, he didn't tell me. How much did they score?"  
  
"But what did Dumbledore say?" Ginny said, now pretending that my attempts to change the subject didn't exist at all.  
  
"He didn't say very much," I said with a sigh. "I managed to convince him into not owling my mother, and then he said that I still was supposed to be serving detention tomorrow."  
  
"So you're going, then?"  
  
I hadn't decided yet whether to go or not to. And luckily I didn't have to answer her question, since Harry, Ron and Hermione walked over and joined us.  
  
"That was so brilliant," Ron said, amazed.  
  
"Thanks," I said, blushing.  
  
"I can't believe you did such a thing!" Hermione exclaimed. "Do you realize what this could lead to?"  
  
"Get a grip, Hermione," Ron muttered.  
  
"She can get expelled!" Hermione announced. "Insulting a teacher in such a way – not that he didn't deserve it, of course – and then skipping detention?! I heard they took thirty points from Gryffindor for it."  
  
"I won't be expelled," I informed them. "Dumbledore wanted to owl my mother, but I convinced him not to."  
  
"You spoke to Dumbledore?" Harry said suddenly. He had been listening to the conversation in silence so far. "What did he say? About the Professor, I mean?"  
  
"Is he his son?" Ron added.  
  
"He didn't tell me," I said. "And I didn't ask him directly, either."  
  
"He didn't tell you anything?" Ron asked, somehow disappointed.  
  
"Nope. But..." I said but interrupted myself.  
  
"What?" Harry asked urgently.  
  
"I met Hagrid, and he rambled something about the Professor having a rough time, but he didn't want to tell me any details."  
  
"That's strange," Hermione stated. "Ron, wasn't you planning on doing your extra DADA essay before tomorrow? Because it's almost ten o'clock."  
  
"Damn it," he muttered. "You've got to help me, Hermione..." he pleaded.  
  
She sighed. "Actually, I have my own studying to do."  
  
"You'll get perfect results anyway. Please?" he pleaded.  
  
"..."  
  
"Please please?"  
  
Hermione sighed again.  
  
"Please please pl-"  
  
"I will!" she exclaimed in a high-pitched voice.  
  
The two of them left so it was just Ginny, Harry and I left.  
  
"He got an extra essay?" Ginny said.  
  
"For not writing the original homework essay," Harry informed.  
  
Ginny yawned, somehow unnaturally. "I'm tired, I'm going to bed," she said, stood up and disappeared up the stairs to our dormitory. While she passed Seamus, Dean, Parvati and Lavender, she glared angrily at Dean, but when he looked up she immediately looked in another direction.  
  
"They broke up?" Harry, who had been watching the 'scene', said.  
  
"Yeah," I confirmed. "It's a shame, they looked cute together."  
  
"They did indeed," he said.  
  
A somehow awkward silence fell between us before Harry spoke again.  
  
"Anyway, it was brilliant, what you did. I so wanted to do so myself, but I managed to skip it."  
  
"Oh... well, thanks, I guess," I said and yawned, no fake yawn though like Ginny had done. "I'm tired too, I'd better go to bed. G'night, Harry," I said.  
  
"Yeah... night."  
  
I made my way through the common room and hurried up the stairs and into our dormitory.  
  
"Back already?" Ginny said innocently – a bit too innocently, actually.  
  
"Can't you just drop it?"  
  
"What did I do?"  
  
I rolled my eyes. "It's so damn obvious that you're trying to get me and Harry together. Too bad none of us are interested, then!"  
  
"I'm not! I mean, you told me you didn't want to, why would I be trying to get you two together if you didn't want me to?"  
  
"Because you're trying to keep your mind full with stuff to get over Dean?" I said softly.  
  
"Not true! I'm totally over him, he's an idiot."  
  
"You broke up less than twelve hours ago," I commented.  
  
"I was over him even before he broke up with me."  
  
I said nothing but sighed and went to get myself ready for bed.

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**Author's Note:** Please. I really need your comments, and even if you think you have anything to say, just... write something! Anything. Reviews make me so happy.  
  
Until next time then,  
  
Megafreak 


	18. Detention or What?

**Disclaimer:** ::yawns::  
  
**Author's Note:** I didn't mean to take this long. But I have suffered an evil case of writer's block, plus I've been out of town for a couple of days and without my computer. However, now I'm back, you didn't think getting rid of me was that easy, did you? No, I'm back to getting on your nerves with another chapter, which may not be that brilliant, or at least I found it extremely hard to write it.  
  
**Review-thank yous:**  
  
**Lily and James Potter** – 300?! Holy cow. However, loads of people have commented on the Harry/Tamara-thing (and no one appears to be very happy) but I mean I haven't set them up yet, have I? That's just what Ginny wants (or says). But maybe I should set them up just to annoy all you guys. Muahaha, yes, I'm really mean. It feels great having this power.  
  
**toriisen** – Ah ha! That is very possible indeed. I'll really try to finish it this time, although there's a long way to go.  
  
**Akira Bane** – My lips are sealed, you'll have to wait and see just like everyone else... (once again, I love power!)  
  
**jamie** – As much as I really appreciate reviews and comments and I loved your review(s), I do _not_ appreciate getting fifteen reviews that are exactly the same. Perhaps (well, hopefully) it was a mistake, but I just thought I'd make you aware of that, lol... Keep reviewing, though, and thanks for the kind words.  
  
**ViviBlack** – Thank you for the thank you for the thank you. Okay, I give up and drop that.  
  
Thanks also to **Light Lady of Blood, steamrolledboy¸ hg freak** and **Pussin Boots**.

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**Chapter 18 – Detention... or What?**  
  
Exactly at six o'clock, I was standing outside Frederic Dumbledore's office, which was suited on the second floor. I lifted my hand slowly, dreading the upcoming, and knocked lightly on the door.  
  
No response.  
  
I knocked again, harder this time. Still no response, so I tried to just open the door, but it was locked. I was debating with myself whether or not to use the spell _Alohomora_ to get inside, and finally I decided to do so. I was just curious, I guess. However, I pointed out my wand, but before saying the spell, I knocked one last time.  
  
Still no response.  
  
"_Alohomora_!" I shouted, after which the door easily could be opened.  
  
At first, I just stuck my head in. The room bathed in darkness, and I couldn't see a single thing.  
  
"_Lumos_!" I said, and a small light appeared on the edge of my wand.  
  
I inspected curiously the room in the small light from my wand. It was clearly not like I had expected it to be. You see, there were no things. No stuff. Sure there was furniture, a dark desk, the same colour as the floor, and the walls were covered by bookshelves, coloured to match the desk and the floor. But there were no papers, no personal belongings... the desk was entirely empty.  
  
There was a fireplace in the opposite end of the room, in which there had been a fire recently, but it had just burned down. I walked closer. It looked like there was rests of something; papers maybe, stuff, I don't really know because it was all half-burned. But somehow it looked like he had simply burned all of his belongings. While standing there, watching the rests of the fire and debating on what to do, I got this strange and uncomfortable feeling. It felt like I wasn't alone, that there was someone else there – or something else...  
  
I pointed my wand to light up one of the dark corners next to the fireplace, and the sight would have made me scream, if only I hadn't lost my voice.  
  
The eyes on the body hanging from the ceiling looked like they were on their way to fall out of their places, they were round and stared at me like no one had ever stared at me before. The face was all white, and just seeing the rope around his neck almost made me stop breathing as well.  
  
I panicked and turned around, stumbled through the room towards the exit, tripped and fell over but quickly got onto my feet again. I closed the door with a bang behind me, and literally sprinted down the corridor, just to get out of there.  
  
"Good evening, Miss Malfoy, done with your detention already?"  
  
McGonagall. I hadn't even heard her coming!  
  
"Professor McGonagall", I mumbled. "Er..."  
  
"Well?" McGonagall demanded.  
  
"You'd better see for yourself", I stammered.  
  
"See what?"  
  
"I-In there", I said with a nod towards the door.  
  
She gazed questioningly at me for a while before trying the door, which was, as you all should know by now, locked. She knocked a couple of times, but nothing happened, as expected.  
  
"There's no one here", she stated. "Why couldn't you tell me that from the beginning."  
  
"Go inside", I said in such a low voice that it barely could be heard.  
  
"I really don't think that would be appropriate, Miss Malfoy", she said coolly.  
  
So I pulled out my own wand to unlock the door, and opened.  
  
"In the corner next to the fireplace on your right", I said quickly.  
  
She pulled out her wand as well, letting it light up the room, and walked slowly to the right. I closed my eyes just before the light reached the body, but could hear her pull after her breath and step backwards.  
  
"You will return to your common room", she said. "I will alert the rest of the staff."  
  
I simply nodded and left, going back to the common room. Thoughts and questions swirled around in my head, and when the shock began to vanish, there was one question that was somehow stronger than the others.  
  
Why?  
  
I thought back on what Hagrid had said when I met him yesterday. Oh god. Frederic Dumbledore had had problems, and been overall unhappy for some reason, and that was why he was even more angry and bitter than Snape. Then I said those things, and then it all passed the line... or something.  
  
"Back from detention early", Hermione said when I passed her, Ginny, Harry and Ron in the common room.  
  
"Yes", I said, passed them and walked up to my dormitory.  
  
I couldn't really talk to anyone right now. I simply laid myself on my bed, burying my face in my pillow. The very uncomfortable feeling I had been having in my stomach grew stronger as I laid there, realizing that I might be somehow responsible for his death.  
  
"Tamara?"  
  
I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down.  
  
"Yes, Ginny?"  
  
"McGonagall is here. What has happened?"  
  
I sat up with a sigh.  
  
"Is it something with-"  
  
"It's nothing!" I snapped, sounding more heated that I meant to.  
  
Ginny left without a word, making me feel even worse than before, and then I rose from the bed and went back into the common room. McGonagall was waiting for me downstairs, and signed for me to follow her.  
  
Without a word I followed her out through the portrait hole and down the corridors. She was keeping her walking speed up, almost forcing me to jog to keep up with her. However, I followed behind her through corridors and stairs, until we stopped outside the gargoyle outside Dumbledore's office. McGonagall muttered the password, making the gargoyle swing aside, and turned around, leaving me to enter on my own.  
  
I stepped up onto the moving staircase, and a couple of seconds later I stepped into Dumbledore's office.  
  
"Welcome Miss Malfoy, sit down", Dumbledore said.  
  
He was already sitting in his chair behind the desk, and another chair had already been conjured up for me on the opposite side. I sat nervously down on the very edge, now knowing what to expect.  
  
"I believe you have some idea of why you are here?" he said.  
  
"I could guess", I said quietly.  
  
"What you saw earlier today was... not what you think you saw."  
  
"Um... I don't think I really understand...?"  
  
He sighed and watched me closely through those half-moon glasses of his.  
  
"We can say like this; it was not... what you think you saw. Or maybe... who."  
  
I stared at him. Had he gone nuts or what?  
  
"And please notice that this information is highly confidential, but I think you need to know since you... saw."  
  
"Certainly", I said simply.  
  
"In simple words, we can say that it was a... well, a fake."  
  
I raised my eyebrows, questioning. "Wha-I mean I beg your pardon?"  
  
He sighed and leaned back in his chair.  
  
"He faked his own death?" I said.  
  
"Correct."  
  
"But why!?"  
  
"We cannot really understand what's going on inside his head... he has some tough years behi-"  
  
He was interrupted by a hard knock on the door. And the visitor did not wait for an answer, but simply entered. It was Snape, and he looked like a catastrophe. His face was all pale and he was puffing heavily, like if he had been running all the way there.  
  
"Professor, unfortunately we're busy", Dumbledore said.  
  
"Sorry to interrupt, Professor Dumbledore, but – in the Great Hall – the... the –"he threw a somewhat hesitating glance at me but obviously decided to continue"– missing Professor. He is... erm... wild crazy."  
  
I can honestly say I had no clue what on earth was going on. I looked at Dumbledore, who had become just as pale as Snape. I just sat there, not having a clue what was going on, when I noticed a noise growing stronger. It appeared to come from the Great Hall, and there were screams and thuds and God knows what. However it gave me a very strong feeling that something wasn't right.  
  
And when Dumbledore began to speak, he spoke with a voice that I had never heard him use before.  
  
"Alert the Order", he instructed Snape.

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**Author's Note:** Somehow this didn't turn out as I had expected. I can reveal that I had other plans, but somehow this seemed more fitting, when I thought about is.  
  
I can't believe this is the eighteenth chapter. I can't believe I wrote so many of them! And I can't believe that there's still such a long way to go. All I know is that if (or hopefully when) I finish this story, I'm going to be damn proud.  
  
Well, now I'm going on holiday for two weeks, and I have to admit that I haven't even started the next chapter, so it may take a while... and then there's only two weeks left before my school starts again... help, where did those ten weeks go?!  
  
**Tip of the Day:** There's a song that makes you really happy; 'What a feeling' by Flashdance.  
  
Have a nice day,  
  
Christina a.k.a. Megafreak 


	19. Knocked Out

**Author's Note:** I'm so sorry that it took so long. It was a combination of things; I have been out of town, and when I got home, all my friends had gotten home as well and now suddenly they wanted to hang out every day. The weather over here has been so great that I don't want to spend the day indoors in front of the computer. Plus, school is coming up and forcing me into some kind of depression phase (hell I don't want to go back to… that place). And I have been suffering a heavy case of writer's block. Yada yada. Don't listen to that bullshit I just wrote, I haven't had the inspiration to write. That's the real reason.  
  
And now I'll stop babbling and write instead.  
  
**Review-thank yous** to **noisy lil brat**, **Pussin Boots** and **ViviBlack**

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**Chapter 19 – Knocked Out  
**  
Upon hearing Dumbledore's instruction, Snape simply nodded and headed out of the room. Dumbledore turned to me, obviously unsure of what to do with me for the moment – obviously there was something dangerous going on out there, or otherwise he'd just have sent me back to my common room.  
  
"You stay here", he simply said before heading out the same way as Snape had.  
  
I sat uncomfortably on the very edge of the chair, nervously looking around in the room, but not really noticing what I was looking at. Before he left, Dumbledore had appeared to be rather taken aback, and just that gave me a very unpleasant feeling in my stomach. Dumbledore always had control, he was one of the most powerful wizards in the world, and people said that he was the only one Voldmort ever feared.  
  
But you know me, I'm curious, I'm not much for just sitting still and waiting, although I don't enjoy being in the spotlight. The door was standing ajar, and I rose from the chair, walking over there and sticking my head out. It seemed calm, at least there was nothing in sight, and the noises from the Great Hall that I could hear earlier weren't as loud as before. It seemed a little bit like the coast was clear.  
  
I took a few steps out. _I'll just go a few metres_, I told myself. Just a little bit. I could turn around and head back whenever I wanted to. Oh sure I could.  
  
But do you think I did? Nah. I was heading towards the Great Hall, and it quite surprised me how empty the corridors were. Sure it was half past eight and it was only fifth years and above that was allowed out by now.  
  
I stopped when I had reached the corridor from which you could enter the Great Hall. There were yells and voices from in there, but I couldn't discern what they were saying. Assumingly the yells were hexes and such. However, I did recognize the voices. One belonged to Headmaster Dumbledore, and one to… well, the other Dumbledore, the man I had seen dead.  
  
I walked closer, and found a place where I could stand in the shadows, relatively unseen, but still get a view of what happened in the Great Hall and hear what they were saying as well. And the view shocked me.  
  
Headmaster-Dumbledore was standing rather close to the door, his back towards me, while the younger Dumbledore stood in the middle of the room, lightened up, almost like there was a spotlight on him.  
  
"You are a sick man, Frederic", the older Dumbledore said darkly.  
  
"You think I'm sick? That's great. My own father, thinks I'm sick. And what's even better, is that it's his own fault that I turned out to be the monster I've become."  
  
"You don't know what you're talking abo-"  
  
"I know bloody well what I'm talking about!" his son yelled. "But _you_ on the other hand have no clue what you're talking about! You're just standing there, trying to keep me down, huh? Trying to keep me from getting my revenge, but you know what? You won't succeed." He raised his wand. "It's your own fault, remember that. I will please my master. The Dark Lord will win. Where is the boy?!"  
  
"It's no use, Frederic", Dumbledore said, and I wondered how he could sound so calm. "You'll never find him."  
  
I was so absorbed by their conversation that a voice behind me almost made me scream out loud into empty air, but I'm very thankful I didn't.  
  
"Tamara?"  
  
Instead I spun around, coming face to face with Luna Lovegood.  
  
"Luna!" I hissed. "You scared the shit out of me."  
  
"What's happening?" she whispered, ignoring my last comment.  
  
"I don't know, where are all the students?"  
  
"Common rooms, library", she said.  
  
"So what are you doing wandering the corridors at this time?"  
  
"I'm wandering the corridors", she said.  
  
"But… never mind", I said with a sigh.  
  
We both turned our attention back to what was happening in the Great Hall, but just as we stuck our heads out a crack could be heard behind us, and we instantly pulled our heads back from the doorway to the Great Hall. My heart made its way all the way up into my throat – or that's how it felt like – when I saw three persons dressed in dark caps appear, their wands drawn. Reflexively both Luna and I drew our own wands, pointing them at the three Death Eaters.  
  
"Don't move", one of them said and the blood froze in my veins as I recognized the voice to one of those who had visited Malfoy Manor during the summer two years ago, although I'd never met him in person. "It is a very easy match to kill you – just a little flick with a wand and you are _gone_."  
  
"Remember the DA", I muttered under my breath to Luna. I tried to sound self-confident and I think I might actually have succeeded, but I certainly did not feel confident at all. My legs were shaking like I don't know what.  
  
_'We have to get out of here'_, suddenly a voice appeared inside my brain and made me startle.  
  
_'What the hell?!_' I thought, shocked.  
  
_'Calm down, it's just me_.'  
  
_'Luna?! Inside… my… head?! You scared me; how the hell did you do that?_'  
  
_'I'll tell you later._'  
  
"Okay girls, _give up_", one of the three men dressed in the black caps said. "We'll let you die a quick and painless death just for being so cooperative."  
  
Oh shit.  
  
_'Luna? Can you hear me? Please!?_' I concentrated hard.  
  
_'Sure I can hear you_.'  
  
_'Stupefy. On three. Ready? One, two…_'  
  
In the same moment as I was about to think '_three'_, we both shouted 'Stupefy!' and a bolt of red light came out of each of our wands, making its way towards the Death Eaters.  
  
'Run!'  
  
We both turned around and sprinted down the corridor, trying to get away from the Death Eaters. And here I'm not entirely sure what happened, because I didn't bother turning around to look. I think Luna was with me – I'm not sure.  
  
Then something hit me in the back of my head, causing me to lose control of my body. It felt like everything was happening in slow motion. I had no longer control of my body and could do nothing but 'watch' as I fell to the ground, hitting my head hard in the wall.  
  
Then everything became black.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Yeah how's that for a little nice cliffie, huh? Also, I apologize for the chapter being short, but it was a while since I updated and I'm not exactly producing pages with high speed in this story right now. I wanted to get something up, so you wouldn't forget about me ;)  
  
Hey I need your help with one thing; I've got this blackout in my brain. What's the opposite to Occlumency called? You know when you read other people's minds?  
  
However, thanks for still being with me in this story and hope you enjoyed the chapter,  
  
Megafreak 


	20. A Week Later

**Pussin Boots, ViviBlack, noisy lil brat, courageofgriffindor** and **snuffle's tears**; thanks for your reviews. Virtual cookies! Yum-yum.

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**Chapter 20 – A Week Later**  
  
A tiny flash of light was slowly making its way down into the deep and dark ocean in which I currently existed. I slowly opened my eyes but closed them almost instantly, because the to me very sharp light was so dazzling.  
  
I tried again, and was able to keep my eyes open for a little longer while before the light got too dazzling. After a few repetitions and blinks, I was able to keep my eyes open all the time.  
  
I wasn't fully aware of where I was. I stared at something white for a little while, before I realized that it was the ceiling. You see, I couldn't think too heavily, because my head was aching like someone was using it as a gong. The pain came in waves, and I couldn't stop myself from moaning every time a flash of pain came rolling over me.  
  
Although it hurt, I rolled my head to the side to get a clear view of the room. I was in the infirmary, which I actually suspected. But what surprised me was that all the usually empty beds were now busy. This is not an exaggeration; there was a person lying on every single bed.  
  
I tried to recall what had happened, but out of what I remembered, I couldn't think of one single reason to why all these people should be in the infirmary. I wasn't really sure what had happened in reality and what hadn't; seeing as I very much suspected that some of what I thought had happened might had been dreams.  
  
"Welcome back, Miss Malfoy", a female voice said.  
  
Just her voice made several heavy waves of pain come over me, and I moaned quietly as I turned my head to where the voice had come from.  
  
A middle-aged woman stood there, bending over me. She had red curly hair, rather short, and big brown eyes. I couldn't remember meeting her before, but as to the way she was dressed, I guessed she was a healer. If the infirmary by some strange reason was filled with hurt students, I suppose they'd need some extra staff there, wouldn't they?  
  
"I'm Bella King", she said. "Healer."  
  
"Oh", I said.  
  
"You have been out for over a week."  
  
"I _what_!?"  
  
I can honestly say that I had never been in a coma or something similar before. It was a whole new and obviously not very enjoyable experience.  
  
"What happened?" I said, gesturing towards the other students.  
  
"I don't think you should worry your head with that right now. You've got a concussion."  
  
"It hurts."  
  
"I'll get you some Sleeping Draught."  
  
She disappeared out of my view but returned shortly after with a bottle filled with a purple potion. I swallowed it all in four gulps and handed the now empty bottle back to Bella.  
  
"Now get some rest", she said before leaving.  
  
I sighed quietly before leaning back onto my pillow and closing my eyes.

* * *

I was stuck in the infirmary for two _long_ weeks. I was told I should be lucky it wasn't worse, but I can't say I did enjoy my concussion, it kept me in a never ending (or that's what it felt like) state of pain, although it did seem to get better after a while. I asked for more Sleeping Draught, but was told they hadn't got any. Since there were so many students in there, they were out of some needed potions, which actually had the consequences that some students had to be cured in a muggle way.  
  
Because of the big amount of students in the infirmary, some of them in a way worse condition than I was, visitors were not allowed. Okay, sure I was more social now than I had been a couple of years before, but I don't think I would have gotten that many visitors anyway. Madam Pomfrey and the healers did not allow much talking between the students in the room either, so it was kind of boring.  
  
I caught sight of Luna, though, but she was in the opposite end of the room so we couldn't really communicate. I remembered having this weird dream – or maybe it had been reality, at the moment I couldn't really tell – that she somehow could talk to me into my brain or something. I actually tried it, but it didn't work. Anyway, she seemed to be doing somewhat okay.  
  
In the bed next to me was Ron Weasley. I must say he looked awful, his left leg, his neck/shoulders and his left arm all wrapped in bandage. Plus, he had also one on his head, similar to mine.  
  
I told you earlier that students weren't allowed to talk much. But that doesn't say we didn't. Especially at night, when sometimes neither Madam Pomfrey nor of the extra healers were there, the infirmary turned into a whispering gossip inferno, although we had to keep very quiet so that no one out in the corridor or something would hear us. However, seeing as they hadn't got enough Sleeping Draugt (and don't ask me why they just didn't make more, I don't know), there were loads of students awake during the nights.  
  
However, my point is that I talked to Ron during the first night when I wasn't on Sleeping Draught. He was mumbling something to himself while staring miserably into the ceiling.  
  
"Hey Ron", I said, "what are you saying?"  
  
"Praying", he mumbled.  
  
"I never thought you were very religious."  
  
"I am now. If there's a god in this, he'll hear me."  
  
Silence fell, and I concentrated hard, although it sent new waves of pain through my head, to discern what he was saying.  
  
"Please, let her live", he mumbled, his eyes fixed on the ceiling.  
  
"Let who live, Ron?" I asked.  
  
"Hermione, of course", he said, slightly irritated.  
  
"What's up with her?"  
  
"Don't you know? She's floating between life and death in this very moment. God I don't know what I'll do if-"  
  
"She'll be alright", I said. "I'll pray too."  
  
"Will you? Thanks. If there is a God in this inferno, he'll-"  
  
But he was interrupted when the door suddenly was opened.  
  
"I think I hear talking in here", Madam Pomfrey said. "You aren't supposed to talk."  
  
So that was the end of our conversation, and I leaned back onto my pillow to try and get some sleep. Then, as students were released from the Hospital Wing, there was a rearranging of the students left, and Ron ended up a few beds away, and we could thereby not talk much more.  
  
On my right was now some Hufflepuff first year; quiet girl, I don't even know her name. She left the infirmary shortly after and her bed was left empty.  
  
On my left was a Ravenclaw boy, from the quidditch team, a beater. He never really bothered talking to me, so the rest of the stay in the Hospital Week ended up being very boring indeed.  
  
But finally, Pomfrey and the healers believed I was well enough to go, and one morning I was simply walking out of there. It was time for breakfast, and I thereby went down into the Great Hall.  
  
What first hit me was that it seemed so empty. The tables weren't even half-filled, and there weren't many students left in the Hospital Wing, so I wondered where the others might be. But I was given no time to think about that, since I was interrupted by a voice behind me.  
  
"Tamara!" a bright voice exclaimed, causing a wave of pain, although smaller than before, to roll over my head as I turned around.  
  
"Ginny", I said.  
  
I must say I was quite surprised when she flung her arms around me and hugged me enthusiastically, but of course I hugged her back.  
  
"I'm glad to see that you're back", she said as we walked towards the Gryffindor table and sat down.  
  
"It's great to be back", I said.  
  
"How are you feeling?"  
  
I shrugged slightly – not too much, then my head would start aching again.  
  
"Okay, I guess. How are you?"  
  
"I guess I should be lucky", Ginny said. "I got away easily, but…" her voice faded away.  
  
"Ginny, I… what happened, really?" I asked.  
  
"Don't you know?"  
  
"Well, I… I know a little, but not the whole story."  
  
"Well, no one does. Dumbledore hasn't told us much."  
  
"That professor… he had gone crazy. And there were Death Eaters here", I said, my voice shaking slightly just because of the memory.  
  
"I don't know much about what happened to that Professor. Of course, there're a lot of rumours."  
  
"He's Dumbledore's son", I said.  
  
"You sure?" she said and made big eyes.  
  
"I heard him saying it himself."  
  
"This is getting weirder and weirder. As you said, there were Death Eaters here. I'm not exactly sure what their… let's say… mission was, but they set off after a lot of muggleborns, and some of them set after Harry."  
  
I watched her intensively. "What happened to him? He didn't…" God, I could not say that word I was thinking of.  
  
"No", Ginny said, calming. "But now… I don't think he's feeling very well physically. He never shows up to eat, and he doesn't talk to anyone."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"But", she said, and her voice began shaking, "some of the muggleborns…" she trailed off.  
  
"They didn't…" I whispered. I just couldn't believe it. "Is that why it is so empty in here?"  
  
"Partly, but even out of those students that are… left, there aren't many showing up to eat."  
  
"I just can't believe…"  
  
"The big question is; How did the Death Eaters get here?"  
  
"They apparated", I said.  
  
"Yeah I know, I saw them you know, and they did indeed apparate or something very similar to that."  
  
"But how can you apparate inside Hogwarts anyway?"  
  
"I have absolutely no idea. If they did get in, then… then Hogwarts is no longer safe."  
  
"But you _can't_ get in, that's the idea!"  
  
"But they _did_, didn't they? This is all weird."  
  
"Very weird indeed", I agreed.

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**Author's Note:** Well, that will have to do. Hope you liked the chapter, and I look forward to your reviews (hint, hint!).  
  
Have a lovely day,  
  
Megafreak 


	21. Sibbling Squabble

**Author's Note:** I'm afraid I took too long again… but school's back (I admit it), I've been busy… and running out of inspiration. But now I'll skip the author's note and write on my story instead.  
  
**Pussin Boots** – War of the Buttons? Never heard of it, hm…

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**Chapter 21 – Sibling Squabble**  
  
_Classes.  
_  
The thought just came over me when silence had fell between Ginny and me, later during breakfast.  
  
What about classes?  
  
"What about classes?" I asked Ginny.  
  
"Well…" her voice died away. "Exams are cancelled."  
  
"But our OWLs?!" I asked.  
  
"I'm not sure. There aren't any classes right now anyway, and I mean… there's just two weeks left to when the exams should be. They can't have us do our OWLs if we haven't had classes during the weeks before the exams, can they?"  
  
"Maybe they'll let us do them next year. You know, in the beginning of the year", I suggested.  
  
"Yeah. Although I'd rather get it over with now."  
  
"Me too."  
  
"Oh – I can't believe I forgot to ask you, I feel so mean – how's Ron doing?"  
  
"I think he's okay. He'll probably get out of the Hospital wing in a little while."  
  
"I am a _bad_ sister! My _brother _is in the _infirmary_ and I _forgot_ to ask how he's doing!"  
  
"No, Ginny, I think you're a wonderful sister – I wouldn't know, though, but I think…" I trailed off. "Don't get upset, okay? I don't think I can deal with that right now."  
  
"Oh – I'm so sorry, your head, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to…"  
  
_Ginny, please. Shut up!_  
  
But I wouldn't say that. Guess I'm not brave enough.  
  
"It's okay", I said but rose from the table.  
  
"Where are you going?" she asked.  
  
"Oh, just out for a walk on the grounds, I need some fresh air."  
  
"We're not allowed outside the castle", she informed me.  
  
"What?!"  
  
Did they lock us in the castle now too?  
  
"There are still Death Eaters lurking around. There were people from the Ministry here, they have put on extra security spells for the castle but apparently doing the same thing for the grounds would take loads of time, time which they haven't got. So, for the moment, we are supposed to stay inside."  
  
"Oh. Um… I guess I'll just take a walk…. inside the castle, then", said I and headed towards the exit.  
  
I really think that girl is just _so_ nice and sweet and everything, but she tend to be just… _too much_ sometimes. I just mean I like having some time away from her when I'm not feeling at top.  
  
I had just reached the exit when I was stopped.  
  
"Hey Tamara, could I talk to you for a minute?"  
  
I looked up. It's fascinating how easy you can just forget about people that in some way are actually close to you. Maybe it just was the concussion, but how come I hadn't thought about Draco for one second since… I don't know when. A week ago.  
  
"Hi, Draco", said I simply.  
  
"So come and join me for breakfast."  
  
"I've already eaten."  
  
"You don't have to eat."  
  
I hate it when he does that. Acts like he can boss over me whenever, wherever and in any way.  
  
"Where are your friends?" I asked suspiciously.  
  
"Why do you care?"  
  
"Um… I like staying away from them, that's all."  
  
"They're not here", he said shortly. I could tell he was losing his patience, and I don't really like it when he does that and lashes out on for example me. "Are you coming or not?"  
  
"At the Slytherin table you mean?"  
  
"No, Hufflepuff", he said sarcastically. "Look I know you had a head injury or whatever and you might be thinking a little more slowly than average but this is ridiculous."  
  
"Oh shut up and I'll come with you."  
  
"Good!"  
  
So I sat down with Draco at the Slytherin table. I couldn't really believe he was brave enough to bring a Gryffindor – that's what I was, although I might be his sister – to the Slytherin table, but obviously he was.  
  
"So how are you doing?" he asked while filling his plate with bacon and eggs.  
  
"I'm doing okay. How are you?"  
  
He looked at me like I had said something totally weird. But what's weird with asking how one's brother is?"  
  
"I'm good! Good", he repeated.  
  
"So what did you want to talk to me about?"  
  
"Why? Can't I just want to check upon you? Don't think I'd care about how you're doing?"  
  
"Um… not so much that you'd bring me to the Slytherin table to join you for breakfast. I mean, we got through he 'how are you doing'-bit quite fast."  
  
Silence.  
  
Quite interesting, actually. Silence was fairly unusual when I talked to Draco.  
  
"I'll say this once, and only once-" he started.  
  
"-so listen carefully. Cut the crap."  
  
"Oh shut up", he snorted. "Like a good brother, I tried giving you a word of advice, but of course, you can't listen to anything I say."  
  
"So what's your advice?" I asked although I honestly didn't really care. Like we all know, I had never done _anything_ like he wanted.  
  
"I think you should be careful."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"It's bad enough you're in Gryffindor! _Then_, you start hanging around with Scar-head & Co. And then you send your own father to Azkaban."  
  
"I thought we were over with that."  
  
"But oh no, that's not enough of course. You have a fight with a _teacher_, you sneak around the school and almost get killed by Death Eaters."  
  
"So what's the point?"  
  
"The point is", he said slowly, "that you need to be _careful_. Watch yourself. Don't try to be a hero, it doesn't suit you. But obviously I can see why you are in Gryffindor."  
  
"Look, dear brother", I said while trying to stay calm. "I'm not like you. There's a reason that I am in Gryffindor while you're not. And you know what?" I spat, my voice rising. Several heads turned around to watch us, but at this moment I didn't care. "You can't boss over me either! You haven't got any kind of power over me, I-"  
  
"Oh no? Who stopped mother from throwing you out last year, huh?" he said, his voice rising just like mine had done although he tried to keep it down – probably not to draw attention.  
  
I can honestly say I would rather have been thrown out on the street if I had known that he would use that as some kind of… hold on me.  
  
"You are just…" I began searching for a suiting word, but couldn't find any. But then, I remembered something that Hermione had said once. "Incorrigible."  
  
And with that, I spun around and headed once more for the exit.  
  
"I don't forget, Tamara!" he shouted behind me.  
  
"Neither do I", I mumbled to myself.  
  
I hurried out through the door while looking down into the floor, turned left and bumped into something.  
  
"Wooups!"  
  
In the next second I was sitting on my back on the floor.  
  
"Ow…" I said, rubbing my head with my hands.  
  
It hurt.  
  
I had been told to be careful, take it slow for a couple of weeks… I don't think that would count as being careful.  
  
"Oww!" the person whom I had bumped into moaned.  
  
I looked up immediately.  
  
"Luna?" Obviously she had been 'released' from the Hospital Wing this morning as well as I had been.  
  
She smiled weakly back at me. "Hi, Tamara."  
  
"I'm so sorry", I said while we both got back onto our feet – we both was still rubbing our heads. "I wasn't lookin-"  
  
"No, it's my fault", said she. "I was so happy about that I got out of the infirmary so I guess I was quite careless."  
  
"So how are you?"  
  
"I'm quite okay, actually. How are you?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm okay too. Look, I kind of wanted to talk to you, could we-"  
  
"Join me for breakfast?"  
  
Breakfast for the third time? Sure! I would just have to sit at the Hufflepuff table for a while after this and then I must have some kind of record.  
  
"Yeah, sure", I said and followed her into the Great Hall _again_.  
  
We sat down at the Ravenclaw table. It's quite an experience; see what the Great Hall looks like from different sides…  
  
Ha!  
  
"Do you know what happened?" I asked as she was making herself a toast with strawberry jam.  
  
"We were hit by the Death Eaters' spell."  
  
"Obviously."  
  
"If you mean about the… rest, yes I know."  
  
"Who told you?"  
  
"Someone next to me in the infirmary", she lied.  
  
The reason why I knew she was lying was that she's a _really _bad liar. I guess some people just have got the talent and some don't… However, she does this weird movement with her eyebrows when she's lying. Up, down and to the sides. So I would know.  
  
But I didn't want to force her to tell something that she obviously didn't want to, so I pretended to buy it.  
  
"Um…" I started kind of nervously – I didn't know why I was nervous. I wasn't scared of her, more scared of the answer to my question. These kinds of things always freaked me out. "I'm not sure", I said slowly, "but what I remember, I could hear your voice inside my head."  
  
"Yes", she said simply like it was nothing special.  
  
"We could communicate."  
  
"I know."  
  
"Can you do Legilemency?!" I exclaimed. "Because that is really… scary", I finished.  
  
Luna looked quite uncomfortable. I understand her!  
  
"It's not exactly like Legilemency", she said. "I can only appear in your head when it's for a good purpose."  
  
"You mean it's like a _good _Legilemency?"  
  
"Quite."  
  
"But you can appear in anyone's head?"  
  
"Yes", she said softly.  
  
"Can you read other people's minds and stuff too?"  
  
"Only if they want me to."  
  
This sounded a little confusing, but I believed it anyway (she wasn't moving her eyebrows). At least it felt a little better having an explanation to what had happened.  
  
"Okay", I said and rose from the table. "Thanks, I was just curious."  
  
"You're quite welcome."  
  
"Take care!" I said, raising my hand to wave before I headed towards the exit for the third time that day.

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**Author's Note:** Well that will have to do. I really appreciate reviews and comments and I can handle constructive criticism so if anyone has anything to say, just press Go down there.  
  
Have a lovely day,  
  
Megafreak 


	22. Comforting

**Author's Note:** Hi and sorry that it took so long. As always, it's been a mix of reasons. I'm back in school, and between homework, karate practise, dance classes and... er... watching TV I just haven't had the time to write. We've also bought a new computer, and there were a couple of days when I couldn't use it because it wasn't properly installed and such. But now I'm back, and confident that I won't abandon this story, although the chapters might be coming slowly.

Enjoy this piece of work,

A Not Yet Dead But Incredibly Busy And Uninspired Megafreak

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**Review-thank yous:**

**Noisy lil brat** – Finally – I updated! Whoa!

**Radical Princess** – So are you still reading?

**Whalerider** – (If you have gone through fourteen more chapters and still are with me), I know how to pronounce it, I just had problems writing the pronunciation down as I'm not very good with phonetics and such. So, everyone – Scheiâe is pronounced 'SHY-zuh'. My apologies.

**ViviBlack** – You know your reviews always make me happy, don't you?

**Pussin Boots** – Then I guess I apologize for the spelling errors (you did at least five yourself in just your review by the way, no offence). I'm bad at proof-reading so if anyone finds spelling mistakes, I'm glad if you can point them out so that I can correct them.

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**Chapter 22 – Comforting**

When I finally managed to actually leave the Great Hall without being dragged back by someone, I wandered around the corridors quite aimlessly. I didn't know where to go, there wasn't anywhere I wanted to go. I didn't know what to do; there wasn't anything I wanted to do. I didn't want to just wander around, having nothing to do. I didn't feel recovered enough to go for classes. And I did _definitively _not want to return home.

So I just wandered around, deeper and deeper into the castle, to places where I wasn't even sure I had been before.

Obviously I wasn't the only one that wandered around the castle restlessly. Just when I turned around a corner, I was very close to bump into someone. I was glad that I didn't, though, as I still was supposed to stay calm, because of my concussion. However, we didn't literally bump into each other, it was just close, and we took both a startled step backwards.

"Hey", I said to Harry.

"Um, hi", he said.

Then there was a slightly uncomfortable silence. I tried to think of something appropriate to say, but I just couldn't.

"What's up?" I said eventually

"Nothing", he muttered.

Silence again.

"I didn't know you were out of the infirmary", he said.

"I just got out this morning."

"Oh. So... how are you doing?" he said, but rather absently. It didn't exactly sound like he was very concerned about me, so I decided to keep my answer short, not go on and on about what had happened.

"I'm okay", I therefore said. "Um... how are _you_ doing?"

There came no answer, there was only silence, while Harry stared absently out into the air.

"Huh?" he said startled when he finally seemed to realize that I was waiting for him to speak. "Look, sorry, but I'm not much of a company right now."

"No, it's okay", I said. "See you around."

"Yeah..."

He had drifted off into his own thoughts already, so I just left him there. I was tired of just wandering around, so I finally headed back to the common room. Getting there, I almost wished I hadn't; because the mood in the room was extremely... tense. Students sat in small groups, chatting in low voices.

My eyes scanned the room as I unconsciously was trying to work out exactly _who_ was missing. There was quite a few missing... but it didn't have to mean that they were... I-can't-even-say-the-word, did it? They could be in the Hospital Wing... although I knew there weren't many students left there by now, or they could be at St Mungo's... that were where Hermione was, wasn't it? Or they could be just out, wandering the corridors like I had done. They could be anywhere.

Just because they weren't here, it didn't mean they were dead.

But I couldn't stand it any more, I hurried up the stairs and into my dormitory, where thought I'd find some calm and peace at last. First, where I got there, I stood still in the middle of the seemed-to-be empty room. It wasn't all silent, though, there was some quiet sound bothering me. It sounded like... sobs?

I looked around in the room, but there was no one there. My gaze stopped at one of the beds, which had its curtains down. I knew the bed belonged to Julianne Morrison – you remember her, don't you? She was William Watts' girlfriend; she spoke up slightly to the DADA Professor (A/N Ch. 12).

"Julianne?" I said. "Julianne, is that you?"

No answer.

"Julianne? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine", I heard a tiny voice from behind the curtains.

I debated on whether going there or not. Obviously she wasn't fine at all, but maybe she wanted some time alone. I knew I had lived in the same room as her for the previous five years, but I still didn't know her very well.

I suddenly realized that William Watts had been absent in the common room – now I shouldn't jump to conclusions, but...

"Are you sure?" I said uncertainly.

But she only appeared to be crying even louder. So I took a deep breath before crossing the room to get there. I grabbed the curtain and pulled it slowly to the side to reveal her.

She just laid there, all huddled up. Her long orange (or maybe more like red) hair lay all messy and spread around on her pillow, and her face was buried so that I couldn't see it.

"Julianne?" I tried once more.

She rolled over, revealing her face. I must say she looked miserable; her eyes were all swollen, her nose was bright red and tears were still drying on her cheeks.

"What happened?" I asked and sat down. In the same moment the words left my mouth, I realized how stupid it sounded.

I mean, what could possibly have happened? Hogwarts had just gone through the possibly biggest tragedy ever, and I ask what happened. Sigh.

"That wasn't what I meant to say", I mumbled. "I just... oh I don't know what to say."

"I can't believe it happened", she whispered. "He's... _gone_."

I listened in silence, not wanting to disturb her by saying something that probably would just be stupid anyway.

And then she looked straight into my eyes. "I just don't know what to do."

"Oh Julianne", I said, really feeling for her. I couldn't really relate to her, though, since I had never experienced such thing myself, and I don't reckon my imagination was wide enough to imagine such thing. "I..." but my voice just faded away.

"I'm sorry, Tamara, but I just want to be alone for a while."

"It's okay", I said and raised quickly from her bed. "I'll just... go."

"Sorry..."

"No, it's okay."

I hurried out back into the common room. No, it wasn't okay at all. Nothing was ever going to be okay again.

_Don't be silly_, I said to myself. _I_ hadn't lost anyone close. _I _shouldn't be feeling like _this_.

But somehow, just the sight of the students made me escape out of the common room again. I didn't know where to go, I felt like I was trapped in the castle, I wanted to get out of there. I began to panic slightly. _Calm down_, I kept telling myself. _Don't freak out now. Be strong._

The reason why I was feeling like this was a combination of things. Maybe I was still vulnerable after my head injury and such, I was confused and I was mourning the students lost. Then, my brain was still working frantically on _why_ this had happened. The major question bothering me was whether or not there was a connection between what _I_ had done to the Professor and the later events.

The memories were frequently playing in my head, everything from where I argued with him, to when I found him 'dead', to Dumbledore's office, what I had seen later to when the world had become black.

What had happened if I hadn't done all those things? Would it have been different? Would all those people still be here?

The world seemed to swirl. Why was I feeling this dizzy? Why did the world rotate like this...?

Black.

"Hey, Tamara, wake up."

The voice made its way deep down into the dark I was currently in. I noticed vaguely that that someone also was shaking my shoulder.

"Oh come on", the person muttered.

Then I suddenly opened my eyes, but my view was all blurry. I blinked a few times, and it started to clear up.

"Good", Draco muttered.

It's quite interesting how your whole life is based upon coincidences. They control your life (or should I say uncontrol? Coincidences aren't really under control, are they?) However, there were fairly many students at Hogwarts after all (although we were fewer by now, but...). Anyway the one who found me had to be my brother.

I groaned as I tried to sit up, but a flesh of pain came over me and made me lie down on the floor again.

"Oh crap", I mumbled. Then I turned my head towards Draco. "Um... what are you doing here?"

"The question should be what _you_ are doing here, shouldn't it?" he said, but then his face switched to a concerned expression. "What happened, are you okay?"

He sounded thoroughly different from when I had talked to him at breakfast, that's for sure.

"I...", I started but trailed off. 'I'm okay' would be the obvious answer, but what if I wasn't okay? I honestly did not feel well at all. "I just... fainted, I guess", I said lamely.

I tried once more and this time I managed to sit up.

"You shouldn't be out of the Hospital Wing."

I didn't answer because I knew he was right, but I didn't want to agree either as I definitively didn't want to go back.

"Could you help me up?"

"Sure", he said and reached out his hand, which I grabbed and then he pulled me up on my feet again. I swayed a little, but remained standing. "Want me to walk you to the infirmary?"

"No", I said quickly. "I don't need... I'll just go and sleep for a while. I'm awfully tired."

He didn't look like he quite agreed thoroughly, but obviously accepted it and nodded. I don't know if it was because of our argument earlier that day, but perhaps it was.

"I'll walk you back to your common room", he therefore said and we started walking slowly down the corridor.

We walked for a while in silence, before I decided to ask him the question that had been bothering me for the past two weeks.

"Can I ask you something?" I first said.

"Sure."

"Do you think... that this... er... events were in some way... connected to what... well, what I did earlier?"

"No", he said confidently.

"Oh?"

"Why would it?"

"Well...", I started but I couldn't think of any realistic reason. "I don't, know, I just thought that..."

"Don't think so much. You're bothering your injured little head with too many stupid worries. You worry way too much."

"Um... okay..."

Perhaps he was true. Maybe I shouldn't be thinking and analyzing everything so much. At least not when I was still in the aftermaths of a concussion.

By now, we had come to the Fat Lady's portrait, and I shifted uncertainly my weight to one leg.

"Er... thanks, I guess. And... sorry I yelled at you this morning, I-"

He snorted. "Forget it", he muttered and headed off.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Thanks for reading, a double thanks to you who are planning to press Go down there and review as well (hint, hint). I love you all and I hope that it won't take so long until next chapter.

Megafreak


	23. Confronting the Truth

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the magical world of Harry Potter's and I am not JKR. I only own Tamara and the plot. The plot exists thanks to my own imagination and I am not trying to predict the future books. If there would be a very amazing coincidence, and this will actually _be_ the plot of the sixth book, I don't want to be sued for plagiarism. I will consider suing JKR, though. Not true. I won't as I'm way too busy to sacrifice time for such nonsense.

**Author's Note October 16, 2004: **Sorry, I just had to put a couple of lines into paragraphs, that's what's changed.

**Original Author's Note:** Reasons why I haven't updated: **1.)** Lack of reviews. **2.)** Lack of time. **3.)** Lack of creativity.

So you see that if you review well after this chapter, the time until the next chapter will be 33.3333333 shorter. That makes sense, doesn't it?

If my stupid teachers also would stop giving homework, or if my school would blow up (which actually _almost_ happened the other day – two ambulances, _six_ fire engines and three police cars blocked the street!), those of you who are logical (or maybe the opposite P) understand that the time until the next chapter will be yet 33.3333333333 shorter.

And then if I will get really really _really_ creative now – guess what – the time until the next chapter will be _yet another_ 33.33333333333 shorter.

So those of you who aced your last maths test, you understand that if you add all of this together, it's 100. And if the time is 100 shorter, it's... now. Oh.

That makes sense, doesn't it?

And, of course, thanks to **Pussin Boots** and **noisy lil brat** who actually _did_ review. I guess two is better than one... or... (I don't even want to say it as it might be a self-fulfilling prophecy) _none_.

**Chapter Poem**

_For everything you hate about yourself - forgive yourself._

_For everything you love about yourself - forgive yourself._

_For everything you're ashamed of._

_For everything you're proud of._

_For everything you want to hide._

_For everything you want to show._

_For everything that didn't turn out the way it was supposed to._

_For everything that you are._

_For everything that you wanted to me._

_Forgive yourself._

_Translation of the beginning poem in Jonas Gardell's book _En komikers uppväxt.

Cool. I filled a whole page in Word with nonsense. Talented or what?

* * *

**The Sister of a Slytherin**

**Chapter 23 – Confronting the Truth**

So. When Draco had left me, I entered the Gryffindor common room and headed up to my dormitory as I thought it might be good for me to get some sleep before dinner (I had missed lunch because of the previous events). Julianne had left so it was completely empty.

I threw myself down onto my bed and closed my eyes, not bothering to change clothes or even take off my shoes. I was so tired, I just wanted to sleep. And so I did.

One might not think it is possible after such an eventful period, but I believe I there proved that it is possible to sleep a thoroughly dreamless sleep in such a situation. I just slept.

Until someone woke me a couple of hours later.

"Tamara?" the person said and shook my shoulder.

When I opened my eyes the view was fairly dizzy, as usual when you've been sleeping. But as it cleared up, I recognized the red-head standing at my bed to be Ginny.

"Hi", I said while rubbing my eyes to get rid of the very last tiredness still there.

"Dinner is served", she said. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah sure", I said and sat up.

"Dumbledore is to make a speech", she said. "They say every student shall be there."

"I'm coming", I said and rose from the bed. I swayed a few times, but managed to keep standing on my two feet.

When we entered the Great Hall a couple of minutes later, it didn't quite look like it used to. The four long tables were gone and replaced by one longer in the shape of a U, and students from all houses where mixed.

"Hey look", I said to Ginny. "They re-arranged the tables..."

"Obviously", she said. "Good, let's go and sit with Luna then, shall we?"

I nodded and so we headed off towards the lonely figure at the far end of the table. I took the time to scan the room to see who were there, and it was _everyone_ (of those who were left, of course). Julianne was there, sitting between the two other girls in our dormitory, who apparently were trying to cheer her up. I don't know if they succeeded totally, but I believe she smiled at least a little.

Harry was there, sitting with Ron. They both had their heads leaned into their hands and they both looked awfully miserable and tired. I wondered how Hermione was doing. She should be in the same condition yet, otherwise I should have heard about it, shouldn't I?

"Ginny?" I asked softly. "How is Hermione?"

Ginny turned to me with a serious look on her face and slowed down a little.

"She isn't..." I began but couldn't even say it. "She's still alive, isn't she?" I asked urgently.

Ginny nodded. "She's in a coma."

I swallowed. "What's... I mean, what happened to her?"

"Don't you know?" I shook my head. "Well", Ginny started in a low voice, "you know that some of the Death Eaters set of Harry. Of course they were all three – inseparable as they are", she added with a sad smile. "The Death Eaters almost had him – Harry, I mean, and one of them set of an Avada Kadavra curse."

I stared at her in shock, but before I had recovered from my lack of ability to talk and express myself, she had continued.

"She was so brave." Ginny's voice was barely a whisper now. "She just... she just rushed up and threw herself at Harry, like if to protect him, and managed to push him aside. But parts of the curse hit her instead."

"Oh my God", I whispered.

I couldn't help but thinking if I would have done the same thing. Not necessarily for Harry, but for someone else? Would I risk my own life for someone other's?

I didn't know.

"But she's still alive", I said. "How...?"

"I'm not sure", Ginny said. "But I think it was because the curse didn't hit the person it was supposed to. Hi, Luna", she said and sat down.

I hadn't even noticed that we had reached our destination by now so I was sort of surprised by the abrupt end of our conversation. But however, I also sat down and smiled against Luna.

"Hi", I said.

"Hi", she said to us both.

But before we had time for any further tête-à-tête, the chatter in the hall silenced immediately. I looked up to see that Professor Dumbledore had entered the sort of stage that there was now when they had rearranged the tables. He was standing in the middle of the U.

"Good evening, students", he began and did surprisingly not receive a usual murmuring 'good evening headmaster' back.

By his tone I knew it was going to be some kind of a speech, and it was obvious what the subject would be.

"The biggest tragedy in Hogwarts' history has hit us all with shock", he began. "Something that we didn't believe to be possible has happened."

There had been a few Slytherin girls – Pansy Parkinson and her friends, I believe, who had been gossiping and giggling before Dumbledore had entered, and their smiles were slowly fading off their faces. Even those stupid Slytherin girls were touched by the seriousness of the moment.

"I am fully aware of that many of you are feeling aggressions towards the teachers – about me – and are criticizing our way of handling this and not telling you everything. Perhaps it should have been done in another way, but it took us all unprepared."

He stopped speaking and silence fell in the room. I couldn't remember that it ever had been so silent in the Great Hall.

"Look around", he continued after a while. No one did. Everyone – and I mean _everyone_ – was looking down into the table. Someone had leaned her head into her hands and was sobbing quietly. "People are missing. People that should be right here, amongst us. They were students, just like the rest of you. They were all your friends. But they aren't here anymore."

I glance on the people surrounding me said that the number of students crying now had been doubled. A tear was threatening to slip out of the corner of my eye too, but I dried it stubbornly away with the back of my hand.

"One wise man once said that death is just the next great adventure. It's not really _death_. And it is the circle of life. Let's just all hope that they are all happy wherever they are. We'll take a minute of silence to think over that, starting now."

It was so quiet one would have heard a needle fall down onto the floor. I took a deep breath, still strangling against my tears, and started scratching unconsciously on a blemish on my chin. The silence was nerve-wracking and uncomfortable and even though Dumbledore's speech didn't exactly make me feel better, I was still relieved when he spoke up again.

"I don't know if any of you are religious", he said, "but for those of you who are; pray also for Hermione Granger, who in this very moment is fighting for her life at St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Injuries (A/N Whatever it's supposed to say there.)."

A very strange sound was heard, it was some kind of a mixture between a sob and a groan. Then a boy with messy red hair was seen rising from the table and sprinting out of the room. Harry rose too like if he was going to follow Ron out, but then he sank down onto the bench again.

"All tragedies have one thing in common", Dumbledore continued. "We can always learn from them. We can learn very much from these recent events. Some practical things – we know by now that we need to protect the school far better, and work has already been started. But there's more. We know that we can never be safe. Things aren't always like they turned out to be."

Minor Pause.

"You might wonder why we rearranged the tables today. The answer is very simple – it's simply because this is the beginning of a new era at Hogwarts. An era when we aren't consumed by trivial differences any more. We will be united in our common interests. Those of you, who are not willing to work for our common interests and peace, may I ask you to leave the room now."

I looked up. I honestly thought at least someone would, but no one did. I saw that some of the Slytherin looked quite sceptical, but I feel sort of proud to say that when I looked at Draco, he looked deeply moved by Dumbledore's speech.

He never stopped surprising me. Right there and then, I just felt that maybe there was still hope for him.

"No one? Good", Dumbledore said. "Because we're fighting for our lives. For our right to exist. And when this all comes to its end, the world will be different. That day will be remembered forever. It will be known as the day when we all declared in one voice that we would not go quietly into the night and that we would not vanish without a fight. It won't be easy, but we will have the victory."

Everyone had raised their heads by now, watching our headmaster intensely. I guess I don't have to mention that I was one of them...

"I am pleased to say that we will have our lessons back by tomorrow."

General groan from the students.

"Fifth and seventh years will be taking OWLs and NEWTs as planned."

Groan again.

"I believe you all should be hungry by now, so I have just another couple of words before I'll let you tuck in", he continued. "May I have your fully attention, please."

A couple of seconds later, when he was sure he had it, he continued.

"Happiness can be found in the darkest of times. If only you remember to turn on the light."

* * *

**Author's Note:** Now those of you who are paying attention should know that I basically stole _loads_ of lines in Dumbledore's speech, and that was intentionally. Just so you know ;)

If you feel for doing some charity, you know you can always press _Go _on the bottom of the page, don't you? I mean, I don't have to tell you that? I know I don't have to ask you to review, cause you'll do it anyway, right?

Right?

RIGHT?!

Don't prove me wrong.


	24. Back to Reality

**Author's Note:** HALLELUIAH! I thought I'd never be able to post again but if you're reading this, obviously I have been.

**Review-thankyous:**

**Silwen Aurdomiel** – Especially thanks for the comments on the career advices... I really liked them myself... And _no_, Draco did not do a memory charm on his mum. That would have been 'illegal', wouldn't it?

**Pussin Boots** – mutters Oh you and your bloody details again!

Er... **anonymus** – You know you could sign or at least write some kind of a name if you want to. I won't eat you, I mean I'm not dangerous. Especially if you write such nice reviews ;)

**Kow it all** – _Everyone_ didn't die, did they? And you're welcome.

**Kay345** – Yeah, I haven't checked them out but I'll do that later.

Also thanks to **Megamie**, **ali**, **Sanity-Not Available**,** mille-mione**, **danceingfae**, **I**, **Hypercrazy**, **Megamie**,

And sorry if I missed someone.

* * *

**Chapter 24 – Back to Reality**

My feelings were mixed when I left the table. I was happy, sort of, and Dumbledore's speech had certainly inspired me. But the whole atmosphere on the school was very tense, and I did also feel stressed.

But I'd just have to go on with my life.

I got to bed early, tired as I was, and got up early as well. The Great Hall was fairly empty, and no one I was particularly close to was there, so I ate my breakfast by myself in silence and that was actually nice.

Ginny came down when I was almost finished.

"You're up awfully early", she said yawning, sat down and started making herself a toast with chocolate spread.

"I know", I said and smiled. "So are you."

"I couldn't sleep."

"That's understandable."

"I'm worried about Hermione...and Ron. And Harry", she said seriously and took a bite of her toast.

"Yeah", I said. "No news from St Mungo's?"

She shook her head. "Ron is worrying his head off", she said in a low voice. "I feel so bad for him. It took so much courage to finally admit his feelings for her, and then this happens almost immediately. He just got her, and now he might lose her again."

I nodded. "Have you spoken to him since yesterday? He seemed upset when Dumbledore mentioned..."

"I was going to... but I didn't, I mean... I don't want to intrude on his life."

"I think you're right", I agreed. "You should leave him alone for a while, but still be there if he needs you."

"I don't even know how much he talks to Harry. They are both sort of... unspeaking."

"Yeah, I kind of bumped into Harry yesterday. He doesn't seem to feel well at all."

Ginny sighed. "He thinks everything is his fault... poor boy."

We ate in silence for a while.

"Ready for classes?" I asked after a while.

I needed a little lighter subject now. After all this, I just needed some usual light chat.

Ginny groaned. "What's our first class?"

"Potions."

"Yippee! I can't wait", she muttered.

"What's going to happen with the DADA?"

"I don't know. I suppose Dumbledore has found some kind of substitute, otherwise we would have been told not to go there, wouldn't we?"

"I wonder who it is."

"We have DADA today, don't we?"

I nodded.

"Well, then we'll see."

* * *

"Snape is really bugging me to hell", I muttered to Ginny when we walked out of Potions class. "I mean, what the hell is _wrong_ with that guy?"

Ginny shrugged. "But there are worse people."

"I meant he is the worst one who isn't on the Dark Side", I said.

"True indeed. But he likes you because of your heritage."

"No, he doesn't."

"Didn't you get an O on your essay?"

"Yeah, but-"

"The best I've ever gotten is an E. And there's nothing wrong with my essays, is there?"

"No, but-"

"So; he likes you. Probably because of your heritage – you know your brother is like Snape's favourite students."

"All Slytherins are. And he's not really showing it while in class, is he?"

"At least he gives you good grades."

"I need to do great on my OWLs. Did you know that Snape doesn't accept students without an O into his NEWT classes?"

"But he accepted Harry..."

"That must be an exception. I mean, he's _Harry Potter_ after all. He must take Potions."

"I'll never pass my Potion OWLs", Ginny groaned. "And if I don't take Potions for NEWTs, I won't be accepted into Auror training and then-"

"You'll do _fine_", I assured her. "You're _Ginny Weasley_ after all."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing", I said innocently and walked faster and faster, eventually I began running.

"I'll...!" She chased me down the corridor as we headed for the DADA class.

Good. _Life was back to normal_, I thought. The old spirit was back. Nice. I laughed silently to myself. I had never been so thankful for those simple things before. I was just glad to be alive.

I laughed silently to myself.

BUMP!

Next second, I was lying on the floor after having crashed into someone, and Ginny had stumbled over me and the other person and was lying on the floor beside us.

"TAMARA! What the HELL are you doing?!"

I cleared my throat. "Hi, Draco. Nice to see you too."

Draco got onto his feet, and so did I and Ginny. It seemed as he hadn't noticed her until now.

"Weasley", he said coolly.

"Mal – I mean – oh whatever", she said although not quite as confident as he, and crossed her arms.

I looked between the two of them. Ginny standing with her arms crossed, glaring angrily at Draco, who was looking at her with an amused look, his eyebrows raised. We stood like that for a while before I cleared my throat again.

"Er... Ginny, we should go to class, shouldn't we?" I said, grabbed Ginny's arm and literally pulled her with me down the corridor.

* * *

"It's hard to believe you and Draco are siblings", Ginny said a couple of minutes later when we were sitting in the DADA classroom, waiting for the teacher to arrive.

"Think so?"

"You're not alike each other at all. Except for the looks, perhaps."

"That's possible", I said although I knew it wasn't really true.

We weren't that different, really. The difference was which part of the inside we had chosen to show to the rest of the world.

"I mean, you ar-"Ginny started but was interrupted by the door that was flung open. Actually I was glad the teacher had decided to arrive in that very moment, because I found this conversation pretty uncomfortable.

And in came...

---Insert commercial break here--- (A/N But I don't have commercials in my stories so you can just keep on reading. Nice, huh? LoL.)

... Mad-Eye Moody?!

I heard half the class pull after their breath when the somewhat fearsome man marched into the classroom. His magical eye looked like it had gone nuts, spinning around like a cement mixer. I found that quite disgusting.

"This will be great", Ginny whispered to me.

I didn't know how she would know, as Moody from our third year (A/N Yes, remember she is one year under Harry & Co.) hadn't really been Moody, but Barty Crouch Jr. (A/N Or am I totally wrong? I have bad memory and I haven't got the book right here.) I thought he was more... terrifying, but I guess if Ginny said so, then...

"Hello everyone", he grunted. "I am Professor Moody, but you might already know that. I will substitute for your ordinary teacher during the rest of the year and try to prepare you for your OWLs. Say me, what have you studied this year?"

Silence.

"Anyone?"

No one.

So he turned to Ginny.

"What have you studied this year?"

"Um..." Ginny said. "Nothing."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Nothing", she repeated.

"Which chapters have you read?"

"Only the first."

"Seriously?"

We all nodded. Moody looked confused. "Then we should start with chapter two", he said slowly. "As we have very little time before your OWLs, it will be very much homework. Until next time, I want you to read chapters two to five..."

I checked my book to see how much that was. A hundred pages?! Until... the day after tomorrow?

"... carefully, as there will be practising it in reality next time..."

My eyes widened.

"... I would also like you to write a summary of the most important things in every chapter..."

Holy cow.

"... one parchment for each chapter, at least..."

Bloody hell.

"... those of you who wants good grades for their OWLs, may I suggest that you also read chapters six to nine, as we won't be including them in the basic class..."

I buried my face in my hands. _How_ was I supposed to have time to do all _that_?!

"Say goodbye to sleeping for a few days", Ginny whispered.

I suppose it was supposed to be funny, but I had a hard time seeing the comic in that right now.

"I know this might seem much", Moody said, "but that is only because we need to complete the course before your OWLs if you want acceptable grades. Say to yourselves, it is only for a couple of week. Actually, you can begin reading now as we have a little time left."

* * *

That evening, I sat in the common room, burying my face in the DADA book. I had planned to try to do as much as possible that day, but I couldn't concentrate. It was too much noise in the room.

I covered my ears with my hands, trying to shout the noise out and began reading again. I had just begun to recover my ability of concentrating, when McGonagall entered through the portrait hole.

"Mr Weasley and Mr Potter", she said to Ron and Harry, who were sitting in a corner, "would you please come with me."

The two boys rose slowly and followed McGonagall, their faces expressionless.

"What's happening?" I asked Seamus, who was sitting at the table next to me.

"I have no idea."

I tried to go back to reading, but now I couldn't concentrate again. I sighed and put the book aside, pulling out a parchment for the summaries. I had managed to read the first chapter, so I could at least write about that.

_Concentrate_, I told myself. _Okay. Simple defence. What's important..._

I had only written a few lines when the portrait hole burst open again and Ron and Harry returned. They did not return to their corner, though (their seats had been taken by some second years anyway), but remained in the middle of the room. Everyone turned their attention towards them, expecting them to say something.

Ron looked like he couldn't wait to tell something, he was almost shaking, but he looked happy. He looked like he wanted to dance around the room. But when he opened his mouth, he couldn't really create full sentences.

"I... oh we... told... er..."

"Hermione's awake", Harry filled in.

The next sound filling the room was clapping hands. Ginny rushed up from the couch, throwing her arms around her brother's neck.

I smiled.

* * *

**Chapter Poem: **(This time without any relation to the chapter)

_Take some ripe and fresh tomatoes, put them in a boil with oil_

_Add the onions strong and tasty, on the stove you let it boil._

_Choose the finest meat you get, from cow or pig it doesn't matter._

_Beans and jalapeño peppers necessary is to this._

_But don't forget, don't forget the Mexican spices._

_The spices, the heart of the art of the cooking._

_Oh no, don't forget don't forget the Mexican spices._

_Without them, you won't get the flavour of sunshine!_

_Chili con carne, chili con carne, chili con carne_

_Chili con carne, chili con con con carne con chili con carne_

_Aha – let's make_

- Text to the song _Chili Con Carne_, originally sung by The Real Group

**Author's Note:** See? I finished this chapter, just for you my lovely readers.

As always, review darlings.

Lots of love,

Take care,

Don't smoke,

Megafreak


	25. OWLs

**Author's Note: **My goodness I do apologize! It has _definitively not_ been my intention to take _this_ long! But these are busy days and I have also bee writing on my other story, _Reunited Crushes in the Past_. But I swear I haven't abandoned this piece of work! School, concerts, piano lessons, dance classes, karate practises, _two_ ongoing fanfictions and writer's block just don't mix…

You know what I just realized? That every single time in this place I wrote suited, I meant situated. And I'm way too lazy to go and change every one… but just so you know.

Oh, by the way. I apologize if any details in how they do their OWLs or whatever are wrong, I don't have the fifth book right here right now so I can't check it up. I call it author liberty. This chapter is also kind of… boring, but it is important to bring the story forwards. So it's kind of necessary.

Last, but not the least, I would like to thank those of you who has reviewed. **Phoenix0170, Kow it all, Mira, Silwen Aurdomiel, Megamie, ali and Pussin Boots**, love you all!

* * *

**Chapter 25 –OWLs**

So by now, life had pretty much returned to normal. Not much happened during the following weeks – simply because there weren't time for anything to happen. Hermione was back in school after just a couple of weeks – right in time for the exams. Most students would have taken the opportunity to miss them, but not Hermione, oh no.

We were all very busy with the huge amount of work that we got, not only in Defence against the Dark Arts but in basically every class. I think it was good, though. It took people's minds off things, as they had to focus on their studies in order to get acceptable exam results.

And the amount of work wasn't exactly reduced as the OWLs were upcoming, no, it got more and more and I was usually up studying long past midnight. Thankfully, my concussion was long gone, but it was replaced of a long-lasting normal headache due to lack of sleep.

I had promised myself earlier that year that I would make sure I slept enough before the owls, but that promise seemed to vanish. The night before the OWLs would start, I slept around two hours – and that because I was too exhausted to stay up anymore.

There were several different kind of potions and such to buy from various students that was supposed to 'raise your intelligence level' or 'replace sleep' or whatever. Hermione confiscated them all, though, being the Gryffindor Prefect she was.

I was horribly nervous. I needed good grades. I had to get them! If I was ever going to become a healer, I needed to be accepted in Snape's Potions NEWT class, which would be one of the more challenging things. Thankfully though, I didn't have Potion exams that first Monday. Instead it was Ancient Runes, and that has to be one of my favourite subjects. I did well and was sure I'd get at least an E.

My lunch was _very_ quick. No one of the fifth years bothered chatting to each other; actually very few _ate_ at all. So after five minutes I headed off to do some last-minute studying for the upcoming exam; Herbology Practical. Obviously I had been kind of lucky to start the week off with my favourite subjects. I was good in Herbology too.

The task was mainly to replant and take care of different herbs, each and everyone to be treated in a different way. Colin Creevy, who was right before me, messed it up in a major way. I'm not sure exactly how, but it delayed my time fifteen minutes as the ministry worker said that 'it had to be cleaned up'. Personally, I have no idea how he managed to mess _that_ up since I found it fairly easy.

I spent the evening studying, eating a proper dinner (food is important!) and also resting, for my Astronomy exam was to take place at midnight. That was… not quite as enjoyable as the previous tests. We got a map of the stars and were supposed to write names and draw constellations and holy shit, I messed it all up. I mixed the names together and when I was supposed to write about specific constellations… uh-oh.

My failure in Astrology made me rather depressed. I had plans on getting up early on Tuesday to do some extra last-minute studying, but instead I overslept and had to hurry off to my Care of Magical Creatures exam (which went quite okay) without any breakfast. At lunch I was starving, yet my lunch was just as short as yesterday.

After lunch I had History of Magic and Potions (both written). History of Magic went… _okay_, I guess it could have been worse. And I had spent more than half of my study time studying Potions, and now I got to learn – that pays off! I couldn't know for sure as I hadn't got the results already, but I believed I did better than I'd ever dreamed of.

After a fairly calm night, Wednesday (had even time for breakfast too, yay!) started off with a written Arithmancy exam. I thought I did quite fair. I barely ate lunch though, since I grew steadily more nervous for the upcoming one – the practical exams were the worst…

This time it was practical DADA. I didn't know why I worried so much – I was quite good at it and I _had_ been in the DA in my fifth year. The group had also continued meeting this year but very sporadically – meaning a total of five times. However, I didn't do any big mistakes and was very relieved when I left the room. There was no time for relaxing, though, as I had to head off to a Charms exam, which I also passed moderately easily.

At this point, my nerves weren't as screwed up as in the beginning of the week. I wasn't extremely nervous but more exhausted. Yes, OWLs were exhausting. I wasn't to keen on my change of condition though, as I always do better when I'm nervous. Hence, I went to bed early and slept well until I woke up at Thursday just in time for breakfast.

Thursday was easy. Over all I found the written exams easier than the practical, and this day I had only written ones – Care of Magical Creatures, Herbology and DADA. I felt that all of them went well.

I was glad I had slept much last night, for by now I was all nervous again for Friday. The most dreaded one of them all – _Potions Practical_ was coming up and therefore I sat up studying until three o'clock in the morning. Of course it was mostly theoretically but at least that was better than _nothing_, right?

_If Snape would grade us after how devoted we were, then I'd get a strong O_, I thought before I fell asleep.

To make my life even more perfect, the Potions exam was the _last_ one. Meaning that I had to suffer through lunch and three other exams – written and practical Transfiguration and practical charms. I had grave problems concentrating so I probably didn't exactly do my best, but I hoped I passed anyway.

At three o'clock I shivered slightly as I stepped into the dungeon where the potion exam was to be hold. There were three other students as well, and our task was written on the blackboard.

_The Draft of Peace_

_You have until six o'clock. Ingredients can be found in the cupboard. We have a non-tolerance against cheating and cooperation._

A strict ministry worker sat behind the teacher's desk. _She looks scary_, I thought and shivered. I would never dare cheating with her watching us…

However, I set to work and began scribbling down a list of all the ingredients I would need on a piece of parchment. I was glad Snape had actually taught us that a mere month ago and that I had listened carefully enough to remember most of it. It was considered being somewhat tricky but I still thought I could manage it somewhat. So as I had written the final ingredient down (Essence of Hellbore), I grabbed the list and headed off towards the cupboard.

Two and a half hour later I was totally worn out – but happy. _I did it_, I mused happily as I watched the result. It was perfect – just the right colour, the right amount of steam was coming out of the cauldron and it smelled – well, it smelled horrible, but I recalled distinctly that it was supposed to, so that would have to do.

I poured the potion over into a bottle, corked it and handed it over to the ministry worker. Then I gathered my parchments and cauldrons before heading out of the classroom.

_Yippie yay yippie yay_, I thought as I literally bounced down the corridor. _OWLs are over, yippie yay…_

* * *

**Author's Note: **Sorry, it was kind of short but it was mostly there for bringing the story forward, you know… It's going to get better in the next chapter. Today is also my birthday (yippie yay) so I ask you all very kindly to send me a birthday present in the shape of a review…

Take Care!


	26. A Mix of Stuff

**Nak425** – About RCiP (Reunited Crushes… etc), I thought so at first too… but I got so many reviews begging for a sequel, and I thought that would be kind of… innovative. Don't you? Plus, I've never gotten so good response on a story than on Crushes in the Past so I kind of didn't wanna let it go yet. P

**Thank you **also **kittycatdudet,** **Pussin Boots, ViviBlack **and **Kow it All**.

**Author's Note: **As I assume all of you know… the sixth Harry Potter book is to be released in July 2005. My goal is therefore to finish this story before then, as I then would be able to devote my time to reading, thinking and being frustrated over the character who we have been told will die… And I should be able to make it. I'll do my best!

**

* * *

Chapter 26 – A Mix of Stuff **

As OWLs and other exams were over, most of us were kind of… celebrating. The upcoming Monday the Hogwarts Express would leave at eleven o'clock as usual, so we had two days to pack our stuff together and just relax and hang out. Seventh years were depressed as usual – I could understand them, it must be hard to leave the place where you have spent the previous seven years of your life!But I would be back next year, and yet another year after that. Yes, two more years to go. But I was still not very eager to get home, knowing what was waiting. I hadn't spoken to my mother at all during the year; it had felt very weird but nice anyway. Summer would be _dreadful_. Being around Mother every day for almost three months and having _nothing_ to do. Oh yes, I looked forward to that. Not.

I tried not thinking about that, though, during the weekend. Instead I spent most of it out in the beautiful weather. The sun was shining all through both Saturday and Sunday so almost no one stayed indoors. Let's just say we were happy that we were allowed out by now and that they had secured the whole Hogwarts Grounds (a couple of weeks earlier there had been a whole bunch of well-trained ministry officers here placing different spells).

We had some quidditch practise although the house cup was over long ago. Students not usually playing for the house teams also played and it was a lot of fun. When not sitting on my broom, trying to get the damn quaffle through anyone of the rings, I also spent a lot of time playing Exploding Snap and Wizard Chess with Ginny, Luna, Julianne or basically anyone. Honestly, it felt a little like I was on a camp or something.

Eventually I had to pack my trunk – I kept postponing it but ten minutes before the End-Of-Term 'party' was to start, I realized that I would have to do it sooner or later so I finally got it done before heading down to join the fun which would begin any minute.

There was a free seat between Ginny and Hermione. Opposite Ginny sat Luna (remember; the tables were still mixed), opposite Hermione sat Harry. Neville sat in between (meaning next to me) and Ron had seated himself on Hermione's right side.

"Hi Tamara", Ginny said cheerfully as I sat down.

"Hi", I replied, smiled and nodded to everyone, and they all greeted me back.

"I wish Dumbledore would arrive soon", Ron complained. "I'm getting hungry."

"But _honey_ you're always hungry", Hermione said in a theatrical voice.

"I know, _darling_", Ron said, "that's because I'm growing."

Hermione giggled and Ron bent down to kiss her.

"Ow come on you guys", Ginny said, "you'll have plenty of time for that later. Right now you're _in public_."

"Yeah", Harry agreed, "you can scare the shit out of the first-years…"

Ron looked up. "Oh shut up", he said, blushing.

"Don't care about them, Ron", Hermione said. "They're just jealous."

"Now what's that suppo-" Ginny began but was cut off by Dumbledore who had entered the Great Hall and now stood up in his seat over at the Staff Table.

"_Silencio_!" he said and when the room was silent, he began speaking. "Good afternoon, students", he said out in the room. "Teachers", he added and nodded at the other teachers who were sitting there. "Congratulations on having passed another year. Unfortunately, it has to be the last for some of you. As for the others, we will meet again next year."

"This year has brought several changes", he said in a serious tone. "Things will never be the same again. _We_ won't be the same again. I noticed my speech a couple of weeks again had the effect I had been hoping for. _We are_ united in our common interests. Let's just hope that it will remain over the summer."

Then he smiled. "I like making speeches", he said in a completely different voice, "and I could probably rant on forever. But I highly suspect quite a few of you might be hungry by now, so I won't of respect for those. Tuck in."

I hadn't quite realized I was one of them he had mentioned – the hungry ones – but now my stomach rambled in a horrible way and I was thankful for that food appeared on the tables. I rapidly began filling my plate with all different kinds of food – there were chicken clubs, steaks, potatoes, spaghetti, some sort of lentil casserole, meatloaf, yes I could rant on forever, but I won't as we should proceed with the story.

The dinner chatter subject was surprisingly… happy. We talked about normal stuff; quidditch and such. Ron and Hermione left after a while, obviously up to something. Guess what. When Harry later rose, he signed for me to do the same, and as I had finished eating a while ago anyway, I did.

"Um, yeah, I wanted to talk to you", he said when we had gotten out of the Great Hall. "I don't know really how well you know about, er, your father's… activities-"

"He's in Azkaban", I said shortly. I didn't enjoy the thought of my father at all, and was a tad irritated that Harry had to remind me.

"Yes, but I was wondering, er, your mum?"

"What about her?"

"Was she like, involved too?"

"I dunno", I said with a shrug. "It's not like they told me everything", I added upon seeing his questioning look. "But I don't think so… not as much as dad."

"You know, it's really war now", he said. "So… if you hear anything…"

"I tell you. Of course", I said.

"Thanks." He seemed slightly relieved.

"But I wouldn't count on it", I warned him. "I won't hear anything. Especially not now… after last year."

We walked in silence to the portrait hole.

"Hey… are you okay?" I said suddenly just as we turned around a corner and the Fat Lady became visible.

"Me?"

"Well, yes, who else?" I looked around, but there was no one there.

He made a grimace that should have been a smile… it wasn't, though. "Yeah", he said. "I'm… I'll be fine. Don't worry about me."

So I decided to let it be for this time. We got up in front of the Fat Lady, Harry said the portrait and we could enter. I nodded a goodnight to Harry and went upstairs into my room.

* * *

The following morning I was woken up by Ginny. 

"What time is it?" I asked sleepily while rubbing my eyes.

"Almost nine. The train leaves in two hours. Are you done with your packing?"

"Almost."

She headed off and I… well, I leaned back and returned to sleep.

"TAMARA THE TRAIN LEAVES IN FIVE MINUTES!"

I sat up abruptly. "Bloody hell", I muttered and almost flew out of bed.

Ginny laughed. "I got you!"

"Aaaaaaaw!" I groaned when I realized I had been fooled. "You bloody little…" I looked around for something to throw at her, and my pillow came very handy.

She returned it quickly though… too quickly. She must be the Master of Pillow-War.

"Okay! I give up", I said and ducked for another one of her killer-pillows. "You win."

"I knew I would", she boasted. "Go and get yourself ready and then we'll head off to breakfast."

"Yes sir", I muttered.

* * *

_11:10 AM_

I stared out through the window, watching the last visible bit of the Hogwarts grounds flying by. In the compartment was also Ginny, Luna and Julianne. She had been sitting alone, so Ginny had suggested that we should join her, and it had seemed to be a good idea.

But, as we weren't very close friends and Julianne wasn't exactly _talkative, _we had nothing to talk about and a uncomfortable silence took place. Ginny tried starting a conversation several times, but always without further success.

"Like quidditch, Julianne?" she tried.

Julianne shrugged. "Not an avid fan."

"We'll need another chaser for next year."

"I'm better as a supporter."

It was obvious that she wasn't in the mood for chatting. Hence, silence fell again and lasted for perhaps fifteen minutes before Julianne rose abruptly.

"I need to go to the bathroom", she muttered and left before anyone had been given the chance to say anything.

"I feel so bad for her", Ginny said when the door had slammed shut.

"Yeah, me too", I agreed. "I wish there was something we could do to help her."

"No one can be helped, who doesn't want to be helped", Luna said wisely.

Ginny and I both looked at her.

"You're right", Ginny said.

"Can I ask you two something?" Luna asked suddenly.

"Yeah, sure", I said.

"Shoot", Ginny added.

"Do you think I'm weird?"

Both Ginny and I was startled by the question. It was definitively not what either of us had expected to hear.

"No", was my immediate response. I mean, what was I supposed to say? _Yes, you are very weird._

"Luna", Ginny said softly, "you're _different_, and that's just good. Imagine what the world would be like if everyone was exactly the same!"

"Exactly", I said.

"So…", she said, very hesitatingly, "you don't think it's… impossible for… someone to kind of… like me?"

Although she hadn't exactly said it out straight, both Ginny and I glanced at each other and smiled knowingly, knowing what she indirectly had meant.

"That's not impossible", I reassured her. "Or what do you think, Ginny?"

"Definitively not", she agreed. "Who is he?"

"What? No one", Luna lied.

"Come on", I said, "tell us!"

"I told you! It's no one special."

"You're lyin-"

We were interrupted when the door was flung open. Julianne was back.

"Hey", she said. "Um… what were you just talking about?"

"Boys", I said automatically. But in the same second as the word left my mouth, I realized that it had been one of the stupidest things I could possibly have said.

The colour disappeared from her face, she looked terrified and literally began walking backwards. "Look, I", she said, "I'm going to go and find an empty compartment, I'm really tired so I need some sleep."

"Are you okay?" Ginny asked.

Julianne nodded frantically. "Yes, excellent. Um… see you."

"Fuck", I muttered when she had disappeared. "Scheiβe. Perkele. Shit."

"It wasn't your fault", Ginny said. "She's just… upset."

"I still shouldn't have said that."

"She'll be okay", Luna said. And she said it in a way that made me really believe her.

* * *

I caught sight of mother as soon as I stepped of the train, even though she was standing in the back of the crowd of parents waiting for their children. She saw me too, she showed no sign of it but I knew she did. I didn't want to face her alone… where was Draco? I looked around, but there was no sight of him. Mother was making her way through the crowed and came up to me a minute later. 

"Mother", I mumbled.

"Tamara", she said and nodded. "Welcome back."

"Thank you."

Draco came strolling towards us a couple of minutes later.

"There you are", mother said. "Now, let's get out of here."

**

* * *

**

**Author's Note:** This will probably be a HP/TM story… just because I have other plans. However, those plans are… missing a suitable… for Tamara so I'm just curious who you think she might be able to be with… Please include your thoughts in the which you send me … won't you?


	27. Summer Rain

**Tania** – Hrm. I just found that out when I read through a couple of my old chapters. blushing That was a mistake, yes… I'll try to be more careful. Don't worry, Tamara will _not_ become wanted by all the boys or something. Nothing drastic.

**Misao, Demon Master** – Wow that was random. LoL.

**ViviBlack** – Hm. Yeah. (?) Thanks anyway.

**3broomstix** – Really? For me it was the opposite. The idea was very appealing to me but I'm not thoroughly satisfied with how it turned out. Oh, well, glad you liked it.

**Sarah** – Erm, SATs? Heheh… I'm not from the US (where I suppose you are from) so I don't know anything about SATs. But I'm sure you'll do well anyway. Good luck!

**

* * *

Chapter 27 – Summer Rain and an Unpleasant Surprise **

One of the first things I did when I got home was making a calendar for the summer. I was going to draw a cross over every day that had been, and count the days that were left."Friday", I muttered one evening and marked the day that had been before counting the remaining ones. "42 more days to go", I said and tried to sound positive.

"What are you blabbering about?" Draco stood in the doorway.

I span around. "Oh, nothing. 42 more days to go before school starts."

"Can't wait, can you?" he said and rolled his eyes before disappearing.

I sighed and quickly changed into my pyjamas before going to bed.

* * *

I woke up early the following morning, realizing that I had forgot to take down the blind. Morning sun shone in through my exceptionally clean window (we didn't have a dozen of house-elves, maids and cleaners for nothing, did we?) and dazzled me slightly. I saw that it was almost nine already, and decided to get downstairs to eat some breakfast. 

Mother wasn't there. I highly doubted that she was still asleep, but there was no note. I didn't let that bother me too much, though, and sat down, allowing one of our house elves, Binky or whatever his name was – I never learn, to serve me breakfast.

"What does Miss Malfoy wish for breakfast?"

"Toast, please. With strawberry marmalade."

"Excellent choice! Bing will fetch it immediately."

_It was Bing, not Binky_, I reminded myself. Who the hell named a house elf _Bing_?! "Stupid name", I muttered to myself.

While waiting for _Bing_ to return, I absently picked up this morning's _The Daily Prophet_, and flipped right through it to the comic strips in the end. They were all quite boring, except for one called _Elvis_, that was about a tortoise named so. Reading it only took a couple of seconds and I chuckled slightly at his dumb thoughts before I flipped back to the first page.

Bing arrived with a plate filled with different kinds of toasts, everyone covered with a different kind of marmalade. _Stupid house elf_, I thought for myself. I had specifically asked for strawberry marmalade, so why did he have to bring a dozen different ones? Out of these – I counted them quickly – fourteen marmalade covered toasts on this plate, there was only one that was like I wanted it to be.

"Thank you, Bing", I said coldly, grabbed that specific toast and returned to _The Daily Prophet._

Then I dropped the toast. It landed on the table with the marmalade side down.

"Miss Malfoy!" Bing exclaimed in a high-pitched voice. "You dropped the sandwich!"

But I didn't care about that. I was busy staring at the article on the front page.

_Death Eaters escaped from Azkaban Prison_

"What the…", I said out loud.

"Miss!" Bing said. "You-"

"Shut up, you stupid little house elf!" I yelled at him. "And leave me alone!"

That shut him up, and I returned to reading.

_A still unknown number of Death Eaters is reported missing from the Azkaban Prison last night and investigating aurors are still not sure how they have managed to escape. This group of Death Eaters is highly likely to include…_

Then they started enumerating a number of Death Eaters, all of whom had been old friends of my family. But when a certain extra dreaded name popped up, my heart skipped a beat.

… _and Lucius Malfoy._

"Shit", I said. "Double shit."

I grabbed the newspaper and ran back upstairs to knock frantically on the door to Draco's room.

"What?!" I heard his muffled voice.

I kept knocking, indicating that he should let me in. "I need to talk to you", I said.

He sighed. "Come in then."

I flung the door open and stormed in. Draco was still in bed, his head under his cover.

"What do you want?" he muttered. "It's barely the crack of dawn."

"It's eight o'clock", I informed him. "Could you come out from under the cover, please?"

He muttered something before emerging from the cover. "You'd better have a very good reason for waking me up like-"

"Read this", I said and threw _The Daily Prophet_ at him. "First page."

He looked at me in a weird way before turning to the paper, while I watched him closely, waiting for a reaction.

"Holy fuck", he muttered and sat up when realizing.

He quickly scanned through the whole article before turning back to me.

"Mother is gone", I said, "I have no idea where she is. No note."

Silence.

"He'll come here, won't he?" I continued in a high-pitched voice. "After what I did-"

"Shut up", Draco snapped. "Calm down. _Yes_, he might come here, and then you better _not_ be around anymore."

"What do you mean?" I asked weakly.

"I mean that you need to get the hell out of here _now_."

"I don't have anywhere to go!" I exclaimed. "I don't have any money! I-"

"Stop yelling!" he exclaimed and opened the drawer in his bedside table. He took out an envelope and handed it to me. "Here. Pay it back some other time."

I didn't know how much money it was, but quite a lot, I guessed, as it weighed quite much. "Thanks", said I. "Do you reckon I could stay at the L-"

"LALALALALA!" he shouted, putting his fingers in his ears. "Are you stupid, Tamara? Don't tell me! What if he'd use Verisaterum on me or something?!"

"Oh", I said. "Well…"

"Pack your trunk – don't forget your Hogwarts stuff – and get the hell out of here."

"Yeah", I said. "Thanks", I said, and then I couldn't resist throwing my arms around his neck and give my only brother a hug.

He patted me awkwardly on the back. "Yeah, whatever. Be careful. Hurry up. Take care now."

I smiled briefly before I headed out of his room, and into mine, which was right over the hall. I had still all of my Hogwarts things in my Hogwarts trunk, so I took out another trunk from my wardrobe. It was just like when I had thought I'd have to leave one year ago. This time I didn't have much time to pack, though. I chose to pack some of my favourite clothes, some books and some drawings. I caught sight of that old teddy bear of mine sitting on my (former) bed.

_I wonder if I should bring it_, I thought. My trunk was quite heavy already, but on the other hand – a teddy bear didn't weigh too much, did it? I made a quick decision and left it sitting on my bed. I was sixteen, for Christ's sake! A sixteen (almost – my birthday was in late August) year old girl doesn't have teddy bears.

I took a final look at my room before leaving. As underage wizards aren't allowed to use magic outside of Hogwarts, I had to pull both my trunks down which was quite a job. I managed, though. Before heading out through the door, I grabbed my jacket from a hook on the wall and threw a quick look out through the window. It was raining.

"Great", I muttered to myself. "Just great."

What I had been about to ask Draco, was if he thought that I could stay at the Leaky Cauldron. That was about the only place where I knew I could stay. Question was; how did I get there. _Knight Bus probably_, I thought and sighed. I would have preferred flooing, but flooing from Malfoy Manor could easily be tracked.

Therefore, I fled Malfoy Manor by simply walking out into the summer rain, pulling my trunks behind me.


	28. Lupin

**Author's Note: **My dearest apologies for taking way too long again.

**Sarah** – Here's more. Sorry about the wait.

**Kow it all** – I take everything into consideration.

**Pussinboots** – Haha! Thank you.

**Harry-Potter-fan01** – NO! No no no, absolutely not. That was _not_ the last chapter. Did it seem to be?

**Acdclover** – Hm. It's interesting, what you said about my spelling, as my computer is set to mark spell errors. So, if you could point out any particular places, it would help me in my… 'further investigation'. Thanks anyway!

**Misao, Demon Master** – So you did it again, my friend – made me laugh.

**Tania25** – Hm. Obviously I'm not from the UK either. Attention to everyone; I know absolutely _nothing_about neither British nor American school systems. Thanks for alerting me, though. And I'm perfectly well aware of that the Leaky Cauldron isn't the best place. Tamara is just a little desperate. And I actually have a point with that. Draco isn't nice, only to Tamara. I mean, they are brother and sister after all so they have kind of a special bond. However, keep your nice reviews coming 'cause I like them.

**

* * *

Chapter 28 – Lupin **

"I hate that bloody thing", I muttered to myself when I had gotten off the Knight Bus after what had seemed to be an eternity. "And I'm never ever going to go on one again."It was still raining, but here in London the rain was far from as… _beautiful_ as it had been outside Malfoy Manor. It was simply… wet. So I hurried inside the Leaky Cauldron, pulling my trunks behind me. When inside, I approached the man behind the reception desk, who appeared to be Tom, the barkeep. Ten minutes later he had shown me up to a room.

I sank down onto the bed when he had left. _Now what_, I thought. _Wander around in Diagonalley for the remaining days?_ Probably.

But as for now, I was tired after having ridden the Knight Bus, so I decided to take a nap. Still in my clothes – not even bothering to take my shoes off – I leaned back onto the bed and drifted off to sleep.

I woke about an hour later, by a persistent knocking on the window. Still somewhat heavy with sleep, I established the fact that it was an owl. I got up and opened the window to let it in. It flew in and dropped the letter on the bed before quickly hurrying off.

"Hm", I mused, "it's too early for the Hogwarts letter, so it has to be… oh shit." _OWL results_.

At first I didn't dare to look, even. This was, in a way, my future, written on a piece of parchment. Scary.

"Get a grip, Tamara", I muttered and tore the envelope open before I had any time to regret it.

Out fell one single piece of parchment. I picked it up and read quickly through the writing in the beginning. "Dear Miss Malfoy", I read out loud, "blah blah blah six different grades, outstanding being the best, followed by exceeds expectations, average, poor, dreadful and troll, which is the worst… blah blah blah. Here are your results."

**_Subject; Written/Practical_**

_Ancient Runes; O/--_

_Arithmancy; E/--_

_Astrology; D/--_

_Care of Magical Creatures; E/E_

_Charms; O/O_

_Defence against the Dark Arts; O/O_

_Herbology; O/O_

_History of Magic; E/--_

_Potions; O/O_

_Transfiguration; E/A_

_In a short while, you will receive a letter from Hogwarts informing you of which NEWT classes you have been accepted into._

_Best Regards,_

_Griselda Marchbanks, Wizarding Examinations Authority, Ministry of Magic_

(A/N Sorry about the weird table showing grades but I had problems with that.)

"HAHA!" I yelled manically. "SCORE! HAHAHA!"

Then I fell down on the bed laughing my heart out. I had made it, both Potions and Herbology, which were the two most important subjects if I wanted to be a healer.

"Calm down now", I told myself. "You act like you've gone mental!"

But then I just began laughing frantically again.

* * *

I spent the following days wandering Diagonalley. I had quite a good time peeping in and out of all kinds of shops, although I didn't have much money so I couldn't exactly go shopping (shop 'til you drop, LoL). But I had a good time anyway. 

But so, on the fifth day, I accidentally bumped into someone familiar. We both looked up, and I was surprised to be staring straight into the face of my second year Defence against the Dark Arts teacher, Remus Lupin.

"Well hello there", he said.

I didn't know why, but somehow he reminded me of Dumbledore. The way of talking.

"Erm, Professor, hi", I said.

He smiled. "I believe you can leave out the 'Professor', as I'm no longer a Hogwarts teacher."

"Hm. Right."

"So", he said, "out shopping?" He looked around, as if to see if I had company. "Alone?"

"Well", I said slowly, "I guess I am."

He lowered his voice so that no one would hear. "Heard anything from your father lately, Tamara?"

I shook my head.

"I… or _we_, perhaps, were just thinking", he said seriously, "your father knows very well that you were the one responsible for him being captured. Don't you think there's a minor risk he might-"

"Want revenge?" I filled in.

"Well, yes", he said. "Have your mother been in contact with him? Your brother?"

"Not Draco", I said quickly. "But… my mother, perhaps. She was…"

"She was what?" he asked urgently.

I hesitated whether or not to tell him I had actually run away from home. I had a feeling he wouldn't be too glad about it. Then again, he was one of the good guys, right? Although he was a werewolf. So finally, I decided to tell him.

"Well", I said, "I kind of woke up one morning, she was, er, gone."

"She took off?"

"I'm not sure", I said slowly, "as… I haven't really been at Malfoy Manor since."

"Why? Where are you staying?"

"That morning", I told him, "father was on the headlines of _The Daily Prophet_. I thought, that he might come there, so I… left."

"Where to?"

"Currently, I'm staying at the Leaky-"

"_The Leaky Cauldron?!_" he exclaimed. "Are you insane? Your father might be wanting his revenge and you choose to stay at _The Leaky Cauldron_?"

"I didn't know where to go", I said defensively.

"Any place this public is too dangerous, of course", he said slowly. Then he was silent for a while, probably debating on what to do with me or something.

"Go back to the Leaky Cauldron and pack your trunk. You have to get out of here."

"But… where to?"

"I can't tell you yet", he said. "Go and pack your bag, I'll meet you outside the Leaky Cauldron in an hour."

Then he headed off, leaving me standing behind, very confused.

**

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Author's Note:** Sorry about the short chapter, but I wanted to get something up, as I haven't been posting in a while, as you know. Oh – I admit it's easy, but just for fun – everyone who guesses where they are headed, get the next chapter dedicated to them! Haha! Submit your guesses in a review, people. 


	29. The Order of the Phoenix

**Author's Note April 3, 2005: **When reading OotP for the fiftyeleventh time last night, I finally understood a mistake I had made that had been pointed out to me, so now I took the chance to correct it. But nothing important really.

**Author's Note: **I know the "guess where Tamara's going"-thing in the last chapter was way easy but it did what I had meant for it to do – gave me a couple of more reviews than usually.

**Abby92** – You scored.

**Gboyary** – Yeah I had that bit about Katie Bell figured out, thanks for posting it anyway (don't worry about posting too much, it's okay D). About the twins, though, weren't they two years over Harry & Co.? Or have I got it all totally wrong all this time? 'Cause then, if I'm not being really stupid, they should have graduated. Thanks for all your reviews!

**SeverusSnape'sLove** – I updated now, do you consider that being soon?

**Hpmaniac3241** – You scored too.

**Tania25** – You were really close to scoring it but I never understand why you changed your mind? Btw, I never thought you sounded critical to the plot. I like opinions.

**Pussinboots** – Well thank you D

**Misao, Demon Master** – You made me speechless, again. Oh, and fyi, you scored it too.

**Kittycatdudet** – Yes I did, didn't I.

**Frankie46** – Almost! Stay with Harry… where is Harry? And I agree, it's one of the safest places.

**DOTE** – Yah. Score for you.

**DaughterOfTheElements** – Thanks!

**Panthergal6758** – The best? Really...?

**The Clover – **Omfg! You scare me! It's like if you could read my thoughts. Can you? Oh, btw, I'll try and email you but I usually forget to email people when I promise that so this time I DON'T PROMISE! Heheh. (You think Tamara and Sirius are alike? Hm. Never really thought about it.)

**

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**

**Chapter 29 – The Order of the Phoenix**

(This chapter would be dedicated to **Abby92, hpmaniac3241, Misao, Demon Master, DOTE and The Clover. **(For they guessed correctly.)

So exactly one hour later, after having packed my two trunks, I stood outside the Leaky Cauldron and waited for Lupin to arrive. I wondered slightly where we were going, but I did trust his judgement so I was sure it was going to be okay. However, eventually he arrived, five minutes late.

"Ah, there you are. I'm sorry I'm late."

I shrugged. "It's okay. Where are going?"

"Here", he said and handed me a piece of parchment.

"What's this?"

"Read it."

I unfolded the parchment carefully. The narrow handwriting read, _The Headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix may be found at number twelve, Grimmauld Place, London_.

"What's this?" I asked again.

"That's where we're going", he said and regained the parchment, putting it into his own pocket. "Now, this would normally not be possible as there are protecting charms upon the fireplace nowadays but they have been neutralized for a short while, so we'd better hurry."

I frowned due to the lack of information, but we went back into the Leaky Cauldron to use their fireplace. I was getting really curious at this point but I didn't ask him anymore as I realized it would be nothing but a waste of time.

"I'll go first", he said, "and then you'll come right after, okay?"

"Hm", I said, "sure."

"Just use the address that was on the parchment. Not to loud, if you don't mind.

I nodded. He took some floo powder, threw it into the fireplace and stepped in. Then I did the same, pulling my trunks behind me – they barely fit into the fireplace but they did.

A couple of seconds later I stepped out of another fireplace, out into a room I had never before seen. There was people in the room too – familiar people. Except for Lupin, there were Moody, and a woman whom I recognized as the Mrs. Weasley, then one of the older Weasley brothers – Bill, I figured. Oh, and Dumbledore was also there.

"Well", Lupin said, "I take it you all are fairly familiar with each other, no presentation needed. And I assume that you" – he turned to Dumbledore – "have explained to everyone why…"

"Of course", Dumbledore said and smiled when he turned to me. "Welcome to Grimmauld Place 12, Headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix."

"Er… okay", I said slowly, "thanks."

Just then, another group of people came stumbling into the room. One adult, four younger people. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny.

"Tamara!" Harry exclaimed when he saw me. I'm not sure, I could have just imagined it, but does it make sense if I said he sounded very… _glad_? However, his voice was completely neutral when he then added, "Hi."

I smiled shyly. "Hi", I said.

"Ohmigosh!" Ginny exclaimed in a high-pitched voice, ran over and pulled me into an embrace. "Hi!"

"Er", I said, slightly out of breath, "hi, Ginny."

She finally let go of me. "What are you doing here!"

"Well", I said slowly, "I'm not sure I'm the right person to answer that."

So everyone turned to Lupin, something that was natural as he was the one who had brought me there.

"Well", he said, "we decided that, due to this situation, the Headquarters would be the safest place for her to stay during the rest of the summer."

Everyone seemed happy about it, something that I found to be quite a relief. Also Hermione and Ron greeted me warmly, and then Dumbledore introduced me to the woman who had entered with them.

I still don't understand how I had _not_ paid attention to her.

As mentioned, she was quite young – in her twenties, I assumed, and she had _blue_ short hair in a very… spiky hairdo. I have to admit I had never seen anyone with such a hairdo in real life before. Especially not someone who didn't look weird in it.

"This, Tamara, is Nymphadora Tonks", he said. "Nymphadora, this is Tamara Malfoy."

If she found it weird that a Malfoy was brought here, she did not show it, but greeted me cheerfully just as the others.

"Hi, Tamara", she said, "nice to meet you. But please, call me Tonks. Everyone do." She glared at Dumbledore before adding, "Almost everyone."

"My apologies", Dumbledore said and then he told Ginny to show me up to her and Hermione's room, which I now also would be sharing.

"I also think it would be appropriate", he added, "if you told Tamara a bit about the Order." He then turned to Lupin and Tonks. "Remus, Nympha- Tonks, I mean, I would like to see you in the dining room." Then he turned back to me. "I'll see you soon again. Until then, I'm sure that these four" – he nodded towards Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny – "will make you feel at home."

"Of course", Hermione said, Ron nodded and Harry smiled.

"Come on, Tamara", Ginny said, "I'll show you up to our room."

And with that, we headed out of the room.

"The room is not very big", Ginny informed me on our way upstairs, "but it'll be okay. Yes, it'll be fun! Except for Hermione's snoring, of course."

"Hey!" Ron said from behind – he and Harry had offered to carry one of my trunks each – , sounding slightly offended at his girlfriend's behalf.

"Ron, it's okay, really", Hermione said and smiled. Then she turned to me and Ginny. "He's so cute, always prepared to stand up in front of me."

Ginny and I laughed. "As you can see", she continued, "Ron and Hermione are still our favourite lovebirds to pick on. Ah, here we are", she sand and opened a door. "We'll have someone conjure up a bed for you, of cour- oh, I see that's already done."

"Dumbledore thinks of everything", Hermione said and smiled.

Indeed, there were three beds in the room, which was quite small – just as Ginny had described it – but still big enough. Perhaps I was just spoiled by my big room in Malfoy Manor (if I still had got it. If father had arrived, he might just have set it all on fire or something).

Ginny opened another door, which appeared to be leading to a clothes closet.

"There's quite a lot of space left", she said. "Do you want us to help you unpack?"

"Yeah", I said, "thanks."

"Uh-oh", Ron said, "girl stuff. C'mon, Harry, let's go."

Harry chuckled and smiled at me once more before the boys left. I stared at the door for quite a while, before Ginny cleared her throat.

"What?" I said.

"Oh, nothing", she said and smirked. Oh, how I hated that knowingly Ginny-smirk. "Let's begin unpack, shall we?"

While we were unpacking my trunks, I took the chance to ask Ginny and Hermione about the Order of the Phoenix, as I had come to be quite curious by now.

"So", I said, "care to tell me what this place is? And this Order Dumbledore talking about?"

"The Order of the Phoenix", Hermione began, "is basically a group of people who fight against the Death Eaters and the Dark Side in general. It involves quite a lot of people, many who are not staying at the Headquarters. And now that the Ministry officially has admitted the return of the Dark Lord, we also have their support in many cases."

"Oh", I said. "So, it's sort of an underground-organisation that fights… Mr. V."

Ginny giggled. "Mr. V. Nice nickname."

"Mr. V", Hermione said and smiled. "Yes, I like that."

"It's just something I came up with… in the heat of the moment."

"I suggest we all call him Mr. V from now on", Ginny announced.

We all laughed around my Mr. V-joke for a while, until I became serious again.

"So", I said, "this is the Headquarters of this Order thing."

They nodded. "Actually", Ginny said, "it's the old Black house. When Sirius… died, Harry inherited it but as he isn't of age yet it stands under his second guardian, Remus. And he allowed the Order to keep it as the Headquarters. Oh by the way, speaking of Harry being underage. It's just five days left until his birthday. I was thinking like, we should come up with something extraordinary."

"Yeah", Hermione said, "he is after all turning seventeen."

I wondered if I should get him a present. Were we close enough to buy each other presents? He didn't get me anything for my birthday but I hardly suspected he didn't know when it was. And I didn't blame him, of course. But it would be weird if everyone gave him presents and I didn't. Perhaps Ginny and I could get him something together. I made a mental note of talking to Ginny about it later.

As for now, we had finished unpacking and Mrs. Weasley knocked on the door, telling us that it was dinner time. So I headed down with the others, surprised by how the nice smell made my stomach go wild as I hadn't noticed how hungry I was.

The dinner was lovely – Mrs Weasley is really a great chef. It was some kind of chicken in chilli sauce, with rice. Lovely. During the dinner we all chatted about lighter subjects, such as quidditch, brooms and Zonko's latest assortment. Over all, it was a warm and familiar spirit, something completely different from what it used to be like at Malfoy Manor.

Later in the evening, after dinner when I, Ginny and Hermione had returned to our room, the two girls wanted to know more about how I had met up with Lupin, and such. So I told them basically the whole story, from when mother had picked me and Draco up on King's Cross a number of weeks ago, to when I had seen _The Daily Prophet_ and fled Malfoy Manor in a hurry, to when I had bumped into Lupin. I intentionally left Draco almost totally out of the story, as I knew how much they just… loathed each other. I didn't want to take anyone's side.

We kept on talking about different things until it was almost midnight, both serious and more unserious things, and when I eventually fell asleep I slept peacefully for the rest of the night.


	30. Man Hunt

**Kittycowdudet** – I never revealed any possible pairings and besides, I don't believe in rushing into that kind of things. So just bear with me.

…… – I think I updated quite fast this time, don't you agree?

**Tania25** – I'm not sure I know exactly what you're talking about but I'm sure your right. Oh, and about food, I'm sure you're right again. Let's just say… Mrs. Weasley was very tired of providing traditional English dinner, and felt for doing something new. Duh. (But I still believe you're right.)

**Gboyary** – smirk And I love being right. LoL, j/k. Sometimes I can be a terribly bossy know-it-all Mary Sue-ish besserwisser.

**Author's Note: **I dreamed the whole chapter up during Physics class last Wednesday, but I haven't had the time to type it down until now.

**

* * *

Chapter 30 – Man Hunt**

Ginny asked me at breakfast the following morning; "Oh by the way, Tamara, did you get the results of your OWLs?"

I nodded.

"So?" she demanded. "How did it go?"

I smiled secretly. "It went all right", I said. "I messed up with Astrology, of course…"

"You didn't get a T, did you?" Ron asked.

I chuckled. "No, thankfully. D."

"That's…" Harry said slowly, "… not too bad. It could be worse."

I raised my eyebrows questioningly and looked at him. "It _sucks_", I said. "No need denying it. But who cares anyway." I turned back to Ginny. "How did you do?"

"Well", she said slowly, "I-"

"8 double (A/N With that I mean both practical and written when possible. If there only was a written, this is also considered being a double.) Os out of 10", Ron cut her off. "Can you believe it? Almost better than" – he lowered his voice – "Percy."

I didn't know much about Percy Weasley – he had only been to Hogwarts in my two first years –, but I knew that he had been a top student, almost like Hermione.

"That's great", I said to Ginny with just a tiny bit of jealousity.

"So how many Os did you get?" Hermione asked me curiously.

"Five double", I said.

"That's good, too", Ginny said.

I nodded. "It's okay, I guess."

That day we spent cleaning up in the attic, which really was a mess. Ginny told me that was basically what they had been doing since they got here a couple of weeks ago. There were quite a lot of interesting artefacts, boxes, well _things_, so that might be one of the reasons why it had taken such time. Except for the fact that there were an enormous amount of things there, of course.

Later in the evening, we sat in front of the fireplace situated downstairs. Tonks also came in – I had come to think she was really cool. She was awesome, and it amazed me how she could be an adult without being so… adult-ish and boring, if you know what I mean? Tonks was fun, and this evening was no exception.

"Hey you", she greeted us when she entered the room.

"Hi", we said in unison.

"So what're you all doing, just sitting in front of the fire?"

"There's not much else to do, is there?" Ginny said.

"Oh come on! Use your creativity. If I had been in your shoes, I'd have suggested that we played Man Hunt around the house, or something."

"Man Hunt is fun", Ginny said.

"But there's five of us", Ron said, "so we can't form enough pairs. Being just two teams is boring."

"One, two, three, four, five", Tonks counted, then she paused for a while before pointing at herself and saying, "six."

Ginny's face broke into a huge smile. "Yes!" she exclaimed excitedly. "I want to team up with you, Tonks. We'll kick these others' ass, won't we?"

Hermione had grabbed Ron's arm, so I looked and Harry and he looked at me.

"I guess it's you and me then, isn't it?" I asked and smiled.

We extinguished and switched all the lights down (except for in the dining room and in the kitchen, where some of the adults where still hanging out), then we all got torches (A/N I know they could have used _Lumos_ and their wands, but there's the underage wizards not being allowed to use magic outside of Hogwarts-issue, so I'll just give them torches (A.E flashlights)). We all spread around house, and so it began.

It was hilarious, running around in the house screaming like a bunch of kids. It astonished me, how enormous the house really was. I'm sure there were a dozen of corridors, and I wouldn't have been surprised if we would have stumbled upon a secret passage or something. It reminded me of a miniature Hogwarts.

Harry and I ended up in a dark corridor, honestly I had no idea where in the house we were but I assumed Harry knew, though, as it was _his_ house, after all (although he was still underage so it wasn't legally his right now but yet). We decided to take some time to catch our breath, before trying to find the others and sneak up on them, but where interrupted by one of the other couples – to be more exact it was Ginny and Tonks. Harry and I screamed like babies, he grabbed my hand and we sprinted away, Ginny and Tonks chasing us.

When we had stopped running I had _definitively_ no idea where we were. However, we hid behind an old statue in a room we had rushed into.

"We lost them, didn't we?" Harry whispered.

I didn't answer, for I had just realized he was still holding my hand, whether on purpose or not I didn't know. Perhaps it was unintentionally. He didn't really seem to notice it, and it didn't bother me so I decided not to mention it.

"I think so", I whispered back.

"Come on", he said and we emerged from behind the statue.

Still holding hands, we sneaked towards the door. Only that… it wasn't there.

"Um", I whispered, "stupid question perhaps, but where is the door?"

"Er", Harry said, "I'm sure it's here somewhere."

I lit the flashlight. No door. "Um, where?"

"Just give me a sec", he said.

Silence.

Five minutes later, he said, "We're in some kind of hidden room. I presumed there were some, but I have never actually found one."

"Hm", I said, "but also hidden rooms should have doors, don't you think? I mean, we got _in_ so we should be able to get _out_."

"Of course", he said, "don't worry."

"I'm not worrying", I lied.

"Give me the torch", he said and I handed it to him. "Hey!" he said to a knight in a painting on the wall.

"Turn the light off!" the knight said and ducked behind some sort of cliff.

"How do we get out of here?" Harry demanded.

"Give me the correct password, of course", he replied as if it had been the stupidest question on earth.

"Oh come on!" Harry exclaimed. "I didn't even know this room existed. How am I supposed to know the password?"

"No password, no exit. Now, would you mind turning the light off? I need my beauty sleep."

"_Chocolate Frogs_?!" Harry said. "Er… _Black_… something? It was the Black's house… think Harry, think…"

So we spent the following hour trying to come up with the correct password. I believe we went through all the wizarding candies and quite a lot of different animals, quidditch words and everything we could come up with. Nothing worked, though.

Harry shook his head in frustration. "I've run out of ideas."

In pure desperation I said, "_Filthy little Mudblood_."

"Bingo", Harry said when the portrait swung aside and we could climb out through the hole.

When we found the others they had given up on Man Hunt, and Ginny, Hermione and Ron were once again sitting by the fire, which they had lit again.

"There you are!" Ginny said when we appeared. "We were just wondering if we should go and look for you two."

"We stumbled upon a secret room", Harry said, "and couldn't get out."

"Okay", the others said, although it didn't sound like they believed us really.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXx

"So tell us!" Ginny said later that night, when we had gone to bed. "What's up with you and Harry?"

"What do you mean?" I asked dumbly.

"There's obviously something going on between you two", said Hermione.

"No there's not", I stated.

"Oh come on!" Ginny exclaimed. "You two were like, gone for an hour!"

"We told you! We stumbled upon this secret room, and a knight in a portrait wouldn't let us out if we hadn't got the correct password."

"What was the password, then?"

"Er", I said, "it was _Filthy little Mudblood_", I said and glanced at Hermione.

"Well it _was_ the Blacks who lived here", Ginny said slowly. "Nice try, Tamara. But we're not blind! We see there's something going on between you two."

I rolled my eyes. "Harry and I are just friends!" I announced. "What's your problem?"

"He seemed very glad to see you yesterday", Hermione said.

"Can't someone be glad to see his friend?" I asked. "What's so weird with that?"

"Well", Hermione said slowly, "he seemed even happier than when I arrived, so…"

"Perhaps he was just surprised by seeing me here", I said. "Oh come on, girls, there's _nothing_ between Harry and me. By the way, Ginny, I'm not stupid. I know you wanted to be with Tonks because you knew Hermione would choose Ron, and then I'd be with Harry. I know you're trying to get us together but can't you just _give up_?! Get a grip!"

_But I wonder why he held my hand for so long_, I asked myself. _Oh no_, I thought quickly, _I'm not thinking that. There's nothing between Harry and me, no no no no no no no no. It was just a coincidence._

"Duh!" I said and turned my back on the girls.


	31. Harry's Birthday

**Author's Note: **Okay... so this chapter starts off in a bit different way than the others. I am _not_ going to make this fic into a diary-fic, but just for a while in this chapter. Don't worry. It's just to get some variation in the writing.

**Kow it All** – Yeah… I realized I hadn't (told that Tonks was a metamorphagus (sp? JKR should have come up with an easier word LoL), but I think I took care of it in this chapter.

**Pussinboots** – Eh, no there weren't a boggart there. D

**Tania25** – Hm hm hm. She didn't really say the "duh" very out loud, it was more something that she muttered. I think. Oh, and fyi, Man Hunt is like, a game you play – you team up and then you run around in the house with flashlights… basically.

Thank you also **ElizabethMorgana, Harry-Potter-fan01, SeverusSnape'sLove, gboyary**

**Chapter 31 – Harry's Birthday**

(A/N I counted and counted and decided that it must be in 1996, but I'm still not sure.)

_July 31, 1996_ 6_:34 AM_

_Don't ask why I'm up so early. I know it's barely the crack of dawn, but I couldn't sleep. Ginny snores – irritating. So now I'm sitting in the window in the landing._

_Harry's birthday today. I took care of the present problem, Ginny and I bought a present together, it's a box from the Weasley twins shop containing different kinds of pastilles you can eat to change your appearance, for example I could have my hair black, my nose big and even my boobs bigger (eh, that could almost be necessary seeing as how they are almost non-existing and for Christ's sake, I'm 15!) However, I think he'll like it. We split the cost, which was necessary as neither I nor Ginny have got much money right now._

_I'd need my future inheritance. It would be nice. You see, it's quite a lot of money. I'd definitively be able to live on that until I could earn my own money. I wonder if I'll ever get my hands on it? Especially now when Father is out of Azkaban. I wonder if he arrived at Malfoy Manor. I wonder if I'm even included in the family any more?_

_Not that I'm not doing fine here, no, because I'm really having a good time. Everyone is being very nice. Ginny keeps making hints about me and Harry, of course. I wish she could drop it, really. It's kind of awkward. However, everyone else is being nice, and guess what I have learned? I said I thought Tonks was cool. But you know what? Not only is she an awesome, cool person but she's also like a Metamorphagus! (But I have no idea how to spell that.) Is that cool or what? Think if I was a-_

_Crap. Someone's coming. Must hide diary NOW._

It turned out to be Harry. To make things worse, I didn't manage to hide my diary but I _dropped_ it on the floor. So I gracefully (or maybe not so gracefully) dived down from where I had been sitting, onto the floor, picked it up and stuck it into my robes. Harry looked at me in a strange way.

"Er, Harry", I said, "hi. Good morning."

"Hi", he said hesitatingly.

"What are you doing up in the crack of dawn?" I asked him cheerfully.

"Nothing, really", he said, "I was hungry so I thought I could have a sandwich. You?"

"Oh", I said, "I was just… well, I couldn't sleep, so I read a little."

"In the book you are currently keeping inside your robes?"

I blushed furiously, but thankfully it couldn't be seen as it was fairly dark.

"I just put it there…", I said, "… so that I wouldn't forget it here later."

_Nice save, Tamara_, I thought sarcastically. _Now he thinks I'm reading porn or something._

"Right-o."

"Okay so I wasn't reading", I admitted. "I was just writing a little… in a book."

He shrugged. "I saw that, actually."

"You did."

"Yes."

"Oh."

Awfully embarrassing silence.

"I'm going to get my sandwich now", Harry said.

"You do that", I said. "I'm going back to bed. Happy birthday, Harry."

And with that, I swept past him back upstairs and into the bedroom which I shared with Ginny and Hermione.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Later that day, we all held a surprise party for Harry. Ginny, Hermione and I had done most of the work, while Ron had distracted Harry's attention so that he wouldn't suspect anything. Mrs. Weasley had cooked and also made an _amazing _birthday cake. It was chocolate. Oh, I loved chocolate. Obviously, Harry did too (I assumed she wouldn't have made him a chocolate birthday cake if he didn't like chocolate).

The rest of this Order thing (which I still wasn't very sure about) also arrived, and everyone brought presents. I don't remember every single thing he got, but among the unforgettable ones was a tuxedo made of _snake skin_, which he received from the Weasley twins (I wonder when he's ever going to use that). He also got quite a couple of books, candy and a sweater from Mrs. Weasley (I knew he used to get one every Christmas).

Harry was happier than I had seen him for a very long while, and I almost forgot that I had embarrassed myself in such a horrible way earlier. Harry seemed to have forgotten about it at least, so I decided not to be bothered by it any more.

Music filled the house, it source appeared to be a muggle stereo of Hermione's. It was kind of cool. I'm not that used to muggle technology, and especially not that thing they call 'electricity'. I guess I would have been if I had taken Muggle Studies, but as I didn't, I wasn't. But I believe Hermione had quite a job finding what she called 'an electronic outlet', which was needed. Somehow she pulled it off with something she called 'bettries' (I'm not sure really what she said but something on b and with t's in it). Apparently, you can _store_ this electricity thing in these bettries (or was it battries? Beterys?) things.

Anyway, it worked.

The party was a success. I'm not sure if it could have been better even _with_ the fire whiskey the twins had wanted to bring. I had never tested fire whiskey and would gladly have done so (yes, after everything I'd heard about it), but Mrs. Weasley absolutely refused… and I can understand her. However, my point was that I'm not sure it would have been more fun even if we all had been all cracked up by the fire whiskey.

The best thing, though, had nothing to do with the party, really. It just happened to happen in the same time. To make a long story short, we were brought some _wonderful, awesome, splendid, wicked_, etc, news concerning our upcoming school year.

We (with that, I mean Harry, Ginny, the twins, Ron, Hermione and I) were standing in a heap, when Tonks made her way through the people to us, smiling in a very smug way.

"What's up with you, Tonks?" Ginny asked. "Looking very… _smug_."

"I'm just happy", she said secretly.

"Why?" Hermione asked.

Tonks grinned even wider. "I won't have to see Amelie Heyworth again for I don't know how long", she said cheerily.

"Who's that?" I asked.

"Amelie is Tonks's boss at the Ministry", Harry said, "isn't she?"

Tonks nodded. "Because I'm resigning! Toodiloo!"

"So what're you gonna do?" Ron asked curiously.

"Order stuff", Tonks said and grinned her smug grin again. "Confidential Order stuff. But I can tell you... I might be bumping into you guys this year."

Everyone just stared at her. She had dropped such an obvious clue, and none of us got it. Such idiots we are, ha ha.

"DADA?" Hermione asked.

Tonks nodded. "Ladies and gentlemen… right now, you are looking at the new Defence against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

_This is great_, I thought. It couldn't have been better. I had wondered who was going to replace Dumbledore Jr, but I had thought about Moody or someone. That would have been good. Even great, comparing to the other DADA professors we had had. This was even better.

_It's going to be a good year_.

Or so I thought…


	32. Harry's Plan

**Reviewer's corner: **(Btw I have more than 200 reviews now. W00t!)

**Imprisoned** – I'm very well aware of that I should read my chapters more closely before posting them. I have a list of excuses, though (very bad ones). I don't have time (if I want chapters up more than twice a year), I'm too lazy, I'm not great with grammar and I certainly am not 100 clear on every single detail in the Harry Potter world but I'm too lazy to look it up. I've been thinking of getting a beta, though.

**Kittycatdudet** – Oh my God I totally got your name wrong last chapter, didn't I? ashamed girl hides behind desk I am SO sorry.

**Tania25** – Er… he liked it?

**Also thanks to Misao, Demon Master, gboyary, Pussinboots, **

If anyone is interested in doing some beta-ing, please email me as soon as possible (email address in profile). Or, you could tell me in a review, but I still prefer emailing. You need to be an accomplished writer, big Harry Potter fan who knows all the details, and patient, yeah you know. C'mon, people, email me.

In exactly 22 hours, I will suffer through a horrible singing audition, as I'm applying for music classes in something that's equal to US Senior High School. Pray for me, people.

Also, I'm so nervous that I'm sweating and having a horrible stomach ache, I can barely write. So this is going to suck. I should have waited until tomorrow, but I had come up with the idea and I wanted to write it down so…

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 32 – Harry's Plan**

_Dear Miss Malfoy,_

_We are pleased to welcome you back to Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, also this year. The Hogwarts train will departure on 11 o'clock, September 1st from Platform 9 ¾, King's Cross, as usual._

_These are the NEWT classes you will be taking, according to your OWL results_

_Ancient Runes, Advanced NEWT Level_

_Arithmancy, Standard NEWT Level_

_Care of Magical Creatures, Standard NEWT Level_

_Charms, Advanced NEWT Level_

_Defence against the Dark Arts, Advanced NEWT Level_

_Herbology, Advanced NEWT Level_

_Potions, Advanced NEWT Level_

_Transfiguration, Standard NEWT Level_

_In this envelope, a list of all the books you will need this year has been enclosed. _

_We would also like to inform you that as the female Gryffindor prefect in your year has chosen to resign, you have been selected as the new sixth year Gryffindor prefect._

_We look forward to having you back this year,_

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Assistant Headmistress, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

Out of the envelope fell a shiny badge with a P on it.

"Holy shit", I said out loud.

"What?" Ginny asked and leaned in to see what I was staring at. "No way!" she screamed. "Prefect? Ohmigosh!"

Hermione looked up from her own letter. "Prefect?" she asked quickly. "Who's a prefect?"

"Tamara is!" Ginny said.

Hermione made big eyes. "Really?" she said and leaned her head in to see the badge. "Welcome into the club. Well done!"

"Er", I said, "thanks."

Why on earth had Dumbledore picked _me_? Julianne and Will had been Gryffindor prefects, but now when Will was… well, not longer with us, I supposed she had chosen to reassign because it would be hard to constantly be reminded of him. But how come _I_ had been chosen? Why not… Ginny, for example?

The door to our bedroom was opened and Harry and Ron came in.

"Hi girls", Ron said, "we heard a scream."

"That was Ginny", I said, still gazing at the badge, stunned.

"So what has happened, little sister?" he asked.

"Guess who's a prefect", she said. "It's not me, by the way."

Silence.

"Tamara?" Harry asked, finally.

"I…", I began, "I… why on earth did he choose _me_?"

"What happened to the Gryffindor prefects?" Ron asked. "It was that girl Julianne and that guy Will- oh", he said. "He... yah."

"So I guess she didn't want to stay as a prefect without him", I said.

"Congratulations", Harry said, "You deserve it, you really do."

I blushed. "Thank you", I said in what I believed to be a neutral voice.

Just then, we were interrupted by something scratching on the window. It was an owl, carrying a package. Hermione walked over to let him (or her) in. When she had taken the package from him, he immediately turned around and flew back out again.

"Wasn't that Luna's owl?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah", I said, "I thought I recognized him."

"It's for you, Harry", Hermione said after having read the writing on the package and handed it over.

"Oh", Harry said, sounding surprisingly little surprised.

Ron frowned. "So why is Luna Lovegood sending _you_ packages? Birthday present, maybe? I had no idea that you two were so… tight."

_Neither had I_, I thought. And I couldn't help but feel a little… jealous? For some weird reason, I didn't want Luna and Harry to be tight. Actually, I didn't want any girl to be tight with Harry. Hermione might be okay though, now that she officially had Ron, but…

_What the heck am I thinking?_ It wasn't like I _fancied_ him or something. No. No.

"No", Harry said quickly and it kind of startled me, as he said just what I had been thinking, "I just owled her and asked her to send me a copy of an article published in _The Quibbler _a while ago." He threw a quick glance at me. "You know what? I think I'm gonna go and read it now."

And with that, he headed out of the room.

Ron frowned. "What article?"

Ginny shook her head. "I have no idea."

They all looked at me.

"What?" I said. "I don't know."

-6 months ago-

"_I was looking for something about… a veil", Harry said slowly._

"_Huh?"_

_He sighed yet one time._

"_Remember last year?"_

"_Of course."_

"_When you… knocked out your father, you turned around and left. But if you had continued, you would have come to a room with a veil."_

"_Okay… and why so interested in that veil?" I asked curiously._

"_Because… I heard voices from behind. It's some kind of… life between life and death."_

"_Your godfather," I said suddenly. "He fell in there, didn't he?"_

_He didn't answer but stared down into the table. From the look on his face, I could tell that I had been right._

"_Creepy. But now that you mention, I think I remember reading about it somewhere. Some story about someone visiting the place, but no one believed him when he came back, because there were no witnesses."_

"_Where did you read about it?" he asked urgently._

"_I'm not sure… it might have been in some newspaper… The Quibbler, maybe."_

"_Are you sure? The Quibbler?"_

"_Yeah, I think so. Well, I wouldn't like swear on my life, but-"_

"_Gee, thanks!" he said and rose. "I've got to run, could you put that book back for me?"_

"_Yeah, su-"_

"_Thanks!" he said._

_Five seconds later he had disappeared through the doors out into the corridor._

- End Flashback -

Of course, I could not be sure, but I had a vague idea that he wanted to try to recover his godfather from behind the veil. _I wonder how he's gonna do it_, I thought. _I hope he doesn't put himself in danger or something…_

_But Harry wouldn't do anything stupid._

* * *

_01:07 AM_

I was tossing and turning in my bed.

"Gaah", I muttered quietly, "I should really be asleep."

So why wasn't I, one might wonder. Well, I didn't know, but I just couldn't relax.

_I need a glass of water_. I sat up, swung my legs over the edge of the bed and placed them on the cold stone floor. I tiptoed out of the room not to wake Hermione or Ginny, crossed the hall and headed downstairs. In the kitchen, I picked up a glass, filled it with water and drank it slowly, standing in the shadows of the already dark kitchen.

I heard a quiet noise behind me and spun around (quietly, of course). Someone else was there too, I could see a silhouette against the night sky outside the window.

"Harry?" I said quietly.

He spun around. "Holy crap, Tamara, you scared the shit out of me."

"Sorry", I said. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing", he answered quickly. A little bit _too_ quickly, perhaps. "The same as you, probably – getting myself a glass of water."

"Why are you dressed, then?"

He looked down on his clothes.

"Er… I hadn't really gone to bed yet. I was… reading. And I wanted a glass of water before I went to bed."

I frowned, put my now empty glass in the sink and crossed my arms. "Where are you going, Harry?"

"No where! Well, upstairs… to bed", he (obviously) lied.

"Stop lying!" I said. "Where are you going? You can't leave, you know that. It's too dangerous-" I interrupted myself when I caught sight of a piece of parchment, rolled up, that he was clutching in his left hand. "No", I said, "don't tell me you're…"

"I don't know what you're talking about", he said.

"You're going to the Department of Mysteries, aren't you?" I stated. "You want to recover your godfather."

He sighed. "Look, I know I can do it. Don't worry about me, Tamara."

I stared at him. "You can't seriously mean you're going to head off to the Department of Mysteries alone in the middle of the night? Please, Harry…"

"I'm of age now, I can do whatever I want."

I couldn't just let him go, of course, but I didn't know how to stop him. I decided to try to win some time instead.

"How're you gonna get there?" I asked, still frowning.

He seemed slightly surprised by my change of mood. "Well", he said, "Floo Powder, probably, as the house is Apparate safe. I can apparate now, but Dumbledore put some apparating proof spells on it last summer. There are fireplaces there that I can use without being discovered, it's no problem. I'll be back before anyone wakes up, and I will have brought him back. But I need to go now, Tamara, so can you please just-"

"I'll come with you", I said quickly.

_Oh my _God_, I cannot believe I just said that._

"No", he said, "no. I can't put you in danger-"

"But you can put yourself in danger?"

"That's not the same. I just can't let anything happen to you."

"It wouldn't be your fault, Harry. Remember that I chose to come with you, you didn't make me."

He sighed. "Tamara, listen. One year ago, in the Department of Mysteries… I didn't make Sirius come literally. I went there, because I thought he was in danger. But it turned out he wasn't, and then he had to come and save me instead. But he fell behind the veil. He wouldn't have been there if it hadn't been for me. It was my fault." He paused. "Hermione was put under the Cruciatus Curse. If it hadn't been for me, none of that would have happened!"

"But that's indirect consequences, Harry! It wasn't your fault, because you didn't mean to make them-"

"I don't have time for this, Tamara. Just let me go. Besides, you're too young-"

"One year", I cut him off. "I'm as old as you were that night in the Department of Mysteries, and I'm even older than you were when you won the Triwizard Tournament. That's about the worst reason ever not to let me come with you."

He sighed again. "Go and get dressed", he muttered.

"You'll wait for me?"

He nodded.

So I hurried upstairs and tiptoed back into our bedroom. As quietly as possible, I got dressed in the same pair of jeans and t-shirt I had worn the previous day. Then I snatched a piece of parchment that was lying on Hermione's bedside table, and a quill, and wrote Hermione and Ginny a message.

_Hermione, Ginny, everyone,_

_Harry is leaving for the Department of Mysteries, and I'm going with him. He believes that he can recover Sirius from behind the veil. We should be back before you read this, but if we aren't something might have gone wrong._

_Tamara_

I left the note on my pillow and hurried back downstairs to meet up with Harry.


	33. Returning to the Department of Mysteries

**Edit March 13, 2005** – Fixed some minor problems. D (Thank you **MissDitzy**)

**Author's Note: **Sorry 'bout the wait, people… hangs with head in shame

**Misao, Demon Master** - Hope you had fun with the boys. LoL.

**Kow it all **- Now I've written written written and finished another chapter. (LoL, I'm hyper today...)

**Pussin Boots** - That's kind of my style... I rush things. (Gosh I really _am_ hyper today, aren't I?)

**MissDitzy** - C'mon! I need you. If you help me, you might just have saved my day.

Thanks also **TomF'sAngelgrl, Jenna, Shading in Grey, Meethrillkittycatdudet, SeverusSnape'sLove, Bumperz**

**

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Chapter 33 – Returning to the Department of Mysteries**

"Have you really considered this, Harry?" I asked. "Isn't the Ministry floo-proof now, with the Wizarding World on war and everything?"

Harry shook his head. "Well it is, of course, but as the Order is being approved of nowadays by the Ministry of Magic, you can floo directly from the Headquarters to there."

"Oh", I said.

"Now are you sure about this?" he asked once more.

I nodded. "Let's just go, okay? We'll have to be back before everyone wakes up and starts wondering where we've gone."

I hadn't mentioned that I had written that note, and I wasn't planning on doing so either.

Harry had grabbed some floo powder from the pot beside the fireplace. "I'll go first, then", he said, "and you'll come right behind?"

I nodded again. "Yeah."

He stepped into the fireplace, threw the powder and said, "The Ministry of Magic, the Atrium!" he said before he disappeared in the green flames.

I too took some powder, stepped into the fireplace, threw it and said, "The Ministry of Magic, the Atrium.".

A short while later, I brushed some dust of from my clothes and stepped out of the fireplace.

"Harry?"

"Sshush!" he said, grabbed me from behind and pulled me back behind the fireplace.

We were in what I believed to be the 'arrival hall' of the Ministry, where there were a dozen of fireplaces at least. Surely, they had been used for Ministry workers to get home and such when the usage hadn't been so restricted.

"Is there anyone here?" I whispered.

"I'm not sure", he replied. "But to be on the safe side…" He pulled something out from his pocket. His invisibility cloak – I had already known (or suspected) that he had got one. "Here", he said and covered us both with it.

I can tell, there weren't too much space in under there for two people, but surprisingly, I found out that I didn't really mind. I mean, whatever, there weren't much room there but we _did_ fit so… so?

Yeah, anyway. We sneaked down the corridor and past a guard behind a desk (who looked not-so-awake, so we could probably have managed without the cloak) and in the end of the hall, we reached the two elevators, which we both had used over a year before.

Harry pressed the button, and the doors slid open. We walked in, still half covering ourselves with the invisibility cloak but not totally (so that if anyone would have been there, they would have seen two floating heads).

"Level one, right?" I asked.

Harry nodded resolutely, so I pressed the button for level one and we went down in silence. I bit my lip and glanced at Harry, who was in his own thoughts. I wondered slightly exactly _how_ he had planned to retrieve his god father from there, but somehow I didn't want to break the silence, so I didn't ask.

The elevator stopped, and the door slid open.

"C'mon", Harry mumbled and threw the cloak over us again.

The corridor looked just like it had done when I had been there one year earlier; with the only light coming from the torches on the walls.

"Let's go", Harry said.

We walked down the corridor, heading for the plain black door in the end.

"This room, it spins around", Harry told me. "We'll have to mark the door we got in through so that we don't lose our bearing."

"Er… okay", I said slowly, not without a little bit of hesitation.

"You know you don't have to-"

"I know", I said. "Shall we go, then?"

The room, into which we entered, was circular and… well, the only proper word to describe it is _black_. I'd never been in a room with everything black before. As in the corridor, the only light came from torches on the walls.

When the door closed behind us, Harry drew his wand and said, "_Flagrate_". Thus, a fiery X appeared on the door. And barely had it done so, before the room swirled around. Instinctively, I grabbed Harry's upper arm, and this way I managed to remain standing. When the room had… _stabilized_ itself again, the X seemed to appear on another door, but apparently, it was the door that had been moved and not the X.

I looked around in the room, and realized that there must be like a dozen doors. "Which door?" I asked quietly.

"If I'm not mistaken…", his voice faded away and he set off towards one door to our right.

I headed after him, and when he opened it he turned to me and said, "Yes, here."

Five seconds later, I found myself in something strongly reminding me of an amphitheatre. It was a rectangular and quite large room, at least larger than the previous one. The centre was sunken, and around the room were stone benches descending in steep steps. In absolute middle of the room, where the floor was sunken, stood the ancient archway I had read about, and it was hung with a ragged, black veil.

Not quite as I had imagined it.

"So this is it?" I whispered.

Harry nodded.

We made our way down to the centre, and when having reached the bottom, I walked around the archway. It looked pretty much the same on the other side, I could see the back of the ragged veil.

"Er, Harry?" I asked. "_Behind_ the veil? It's not really possible-"

"Well not literally _behind_, of course", he snapped.

I was so startled by his sudden outburst that I said nothing, and we stood in silence for a minute or two.

"Sorry", Harry then said. "I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay", I said quickly.

He bit his lip. "You hear the whispering?"

I frowned. "Harry, what whispering? There's just you and me here. No one is whispering."

"Luna could hear it too."

"What whispering! I don't hear any whispering."

"That's normal", he explained, "but there _is_ whispering from beyond the veil-"

"I'm not deaf", I said, "and I can tell, there's no bloody whispering!"

"It's like with the thestrals", Harry mused, "you're not blind either, but you can't see them. However", he said briskly, "that doesn't matter."

"So", I said slowly, "er, how exactly were you planning to do this?"

"I read something", Harry mumbled absently, "and I have a hunch…" He reached out with his hand, still walking towards the veil.

I frowned. "What are you doing?" I asked.

Harry stopped and turned around. "I think that it might be possible to stick one's hand through without actually falling, and then I think that we should be able to literally pull him back."

"Listen, I really don't think it's… what if you just fall through it too? There might be, like some kind of power that pulls you in there." Then I reached my hand towards him. "We should stick together", I said, "although I'm not exactly the strongest person but anyway…"

He took my hand, then he turned back towards the veil and took a few step towards it. He was just up against it now, and poked carefully at it with one finger on his free hand. Then he tried with his whole hand, and it just went straight through, before he snatched it back.

"What", I said urgently.

He held his hand up.

"What?" I asked again.

"Didn't you see it?"

"No."

"It sort of… glowed. But only for a second or something."

"How does your hand feel?"

"Fine. I think… it is some kind of energy."

I frowned. "But how could your hand just go straight through the veil?"

"It didn't go _through_, to the opposite side", Harry said, "I think…" he said slowly and shoved his hand through again, "go to the other side and have a look."

Still clutching his hand, I walked quarter way around, stretching my arm to reach, and peeked over on the other side. There was nothing, just the back of the black, tattered veil.

"There's nothing", I said and returned.

"Uh", Harry said and snatched his hand back.

This time I saw the glow, it sort of glowed for a couple of seconds, before it went back to normal.

"What happened?" I asked.

He frowned. "Something touched me", he said slowly.

"Wasn't that what you wanted?"

"Yeah… but I need the right person."

"Try calling his name?" I suggested.

Harry took a deep breath. "Sirius?" he said loudly and touched the veil with his fingertips. "Sirius Black!"

Then a clear, male voice stated, "Harry?"


	34. Sirius Black

**Author's Note: **Gaaah! I've hurt my finger so I can't type properly and that's so frustrating!

**Ali** – Will is… in a better place now (depending on your beliefs). Remember the Death Eater attack… yeah.

**MissDitzy** – Thanks a lot for the help. I took care of some of the stuff in the last chapter. As for the elevators – quote from OotP (British paperback version, page 678) "… as they passed through the golden gates to the **lifts**. He pressed the nearest 'down' **button**…" On the next page in the book it states; "…nothing was moving but the nearest **torches**, flickering in the rush of air from the lift…" I guess JKR just had to add them to achieve the right… _spirit_ for the _mysterious_ adventures… LoL. It would have ruined the suspense if there were electric lights. Or maybe lifts (elevators) aren't managed by electricity in the wizarding world? If I'm not mistaken (which I often am), they haven't even got electricity in the wizarding world. But hey, I guess the power of magic can move lifts without electricity. C'mon, it's the wizarding world, _anything_ is possible. Now I've been ranting on and on and I'll just say thanks a lot again.

**Misao, Demon Master** – Eh… backs off slowly, hands up had too much coffee lately?

**Ania potter-malfoy** – I know exactly what you're talking about, believe me. D

Thank you also**TomF'sAngelgrl, Shading in Grey, angelgirl07, Kow it all, Courtney, Pussinboots, SeverusSnape'sLove, Bumperz, Emma-Lizzy-Black**

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Chapter 34 – Sirius Black**

Harry took a deep breath. "Sirius?" he said loudly and touched the veil with his fingertips. "Sirius Black!"

Then a clear, male voice stated, "Harry?"

* * *

I instinctively spun around, to locate the source of the voice, although I _knew_ it hadn't come from back there, but from the veil.

But that was not possible, was it…? I had seen it myself, there was nothing behind the veil. Although Harry's hand must have disappeared _somewhere_…mustn't it…? I was confused and a tad scared, as I felt that I had no control at all over the situation.

"Sirius?" Harry said urgently. "Where are you?"

"What are you doing here, Harry?" the voice asked.

"We'll get you out of there", Harry said, "just… do you see my hand?"

"Yes", he said slowly.

"Take it, please take it. I'll pull you out."

"Harry you can't-"

"OF COURSE I CAN! Grab my hand, Sirius", Harry said. "I'll pull you out."

He paused for a while, before turning to me. "Help me pull", he said quietly.

I nodded uncertainly, and prepared myself. Then I don't know what happened for I had turned away, but I heard Harry shout, "Holy shit…", and then there was a lot of noise. I spun around to see what had happened, but a piece of a rock literally came flying towards me, and I threw myself aside to get out of the way.

"What the hell…" I muttered before I ducked for another stone. The room was filled with smoke, so I didn't see anything – barely the stones. The ground was shaking, and my heart raced. What was happening?

"Harry?" I shouted. "Harry!" I was still clutching his hand, so I dived over to where his body was supposed to be. "Harry!"

He looked at me with fear in his eyes. "I don't know what happened!" he yelled to make himself heard over the noise. "It just collapsed!"

"We have to get out of here!"

He nodded.

We managed to get up from the floor and sprinted towards the exit. Jumping from one stone bench to another in an attempt to get up, towards the door out, we kept avoiding the stones. The ground was still shaking and we could barely see a foot ahead, so we just hoped we went in the right direction.

_Not much left now_, I thought. _We'll make it. We just have to get out of h-_

The ground (or the stone bench, to be more exact) just disappeared under me. Later, I realized that the piece of stone I had been standing on just must have broken apart, possibly due to the shaking ground. As for now, I did not search the source of the disappearance of the ground, but my legs gave way under me and I fell to the ground. I put my lose hand to break my fall and my hand was scratched against the stones, as was my legs.

Harry shouted something, but I couldn't hear. The only thing I heard was my heart beating. Desperately, I searched for something to put my foot on, and after having thrown myself aside to avoid being hit by a rock, I managed to get up.

"You okay?" I could hear Harry screaming.

I nodded briefly, then I saw a big rock coming flying towards us. "Watch out!" I yelled, threw myself to the ground and pulled him with me. When we got up again and kept heading for the exit, my leg hurt so badly that I thought it'd give way, but I tried to force it not to. I had to stop, and I bent down to look over my foot.

_Just keep on walking_, I told myself.

But I didn't have to. For I felt someone pick me up, and sort of throw me over his back. And so he carried me up and to the exit, which we miraculously had arrived almost directly at. It wasn't Harry, I knew that for a number of reasons – he was taller, bigger, older, but most of all… he didn't smell like Harry does.

But I won't get into how Harry smelled. That could easily get way too… saucy.

However, I was carried out through the door. When the room was finished with its regular spinning around-ritual, we headed towards the door with the X on (you remember Harry had conjured an X on the door we had entered through), and when we had gotten out through that door also, I was put down.

I took a step back to see who my… er, carrier, had been (although I almost was sure already), and it appeared to have been Harry's godfather, Sirius Black, who had carried me out.

_Conclusion; A supposed-to-be-dead-murder-who-escaped-Azkaban carried me out of a room with rocks flying everywhere_.

"Er, thanks", I said slowly, and he smiled briefly before turning to his godson.

Harry's clothes were all torn, he was covered in dust and had a cut that was looking very scary, just above his left eyebrow. Sirius's appearance was pretty much the same, and in additional, he was also haggard. He looked pretty much like you'd expect someone who had practically come back from the dead to look.

Godfather and godson looked at each other in silence for a while, before hugging briefly (I guess they didn't want an emotional embrace as it would be to… _unmanly_).

"We've got to get out of here", Sirius said. "How is your leg?" he asked concerned, turning to me.

I looked down on my trashed jeans. On the right lower shin, the fabric had been coloured red. "It's okay", I said and began limping towards the lifts, Harry and Sirius following.

"Someone should have heard", Harry said, slightly stressed, "what if someone comes?"

"Listen", Sirius said, "you can barely hear anything here. I don't think anyone's heard."

"No", Harry said, "you're right, but why isn't it heard? It was loud."

I pushed the up button for the elevator, and the golden gates slid open. I limped in, the others following, and pressed the button for the Atrium. The gates creaked when closing and the lift set up upwards.¨

I turned to the others, frowning. "So what the hell happened?"

"I don't know", Harry said, "the archway just collapsed."

"It was filled with some kind of energy", Sirius said, "and when that energy was set free, then…"

"I bet we devastated the whole Department of Mysteries", I muttered as the lift stopped and the gates slid open again.

"How did you get here?" Sirius asked when we had gotten out of the lift.

"Floo powder", Harry said.

"So no one knew about you going, did they?" Sirius asked.

"Well", Harry said, "it's in the middle of the night, so everyone was pretty much asleep. I would have gone alone, but _someone_" – he cast a meaning glance at me – "wouldn't let me go alone."

"Which was very good", Sirius said, "as leaving for the Department of Mysteries in the middle of the night isn't too good to do alone. It was horribly dangerous. We'd better get going."

The Atrium was still deserted, something that worried me slightly. With the wizarding world at war like it was, why weren't there people at the Ministry all the time? The Dark Side could easily manage an attack at the Ministry of Magic like this. Although, the fireplaces weren't accessible from other fireplaces than basically the ones at Grimmuald Place 12 or possibly Hogwarts, but still, I couldn't help but lose quite a lot of trust I had left for the Ministry of Magic.

A short while later we had all arrived back to the Headquarters, albeit it may not have been so gracefully. In fact, we made a lot of noise.

We hadn't been standing in the kitchen for more than a mere minute, not exactly sure how to… well, deal with the situation, how to tell the others and prepare ourselves for everyone's reactions, when we heard footsteps first in the stairs, then in the hall, and then Mrs. Weasley burst into the kitchen.

She gave out an indefinable sound and stared at us but mostly Sirius, before more footsteps were heard from behind her and her husband appeared.

"Molly, what's wro-" he interrupted himself.

Now the whole house seemed to have awakened. More footsteps were heard, it sounded slightly like a herd of elephants.

"Mum!" Ginny's voice was heard, "Harry and Tamara have gone to – there was a note – the Department of Myster-" Also Ginny interrupted herself when she caught sight of us. Her mouth was formed to an 'O', but no sound came out.

The next thing I knew, the room was filled with people. Everyone who had been in the house had arrived into the kitchen, which meant Ron, Hermione, the Weasley twins and Tonks, and one of the older Weasley brothers, Bill.

And everyone stared at us. The air was buzzing with excitement and no one seemed to know really what to do, until Mrs Weasley yelled to make herself heard over the noise; "Someone get Dumbledore" – she cast a look at us before adding – "and Madam Pomfrey."

The rest is in a sort of a blur. Apparently someone alerted Dumbledore, for he arrived along with Madam Pomfrey and some Order members. I was taken up to our bedroom, where Madam Pomfrey put healing spells on my wounds and most important, my leg.

"Here", she then said and handed me a bottle, "this is sleeping potion. You need to rest."

"I don't need to rest at all", I protested. I wanted to see what happened downstairs. "I'll just-"

"You need to rest of those wounds shall heal properly", Madam Pomfrey said in a voice which clearly stated _No Argumentation_. "Drink your sleeping potion."

So I sighed and followed orders. A couple of minutes later, I had passed out.

**

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Author's Note: **I do not like this chapter. Hopefully you'll like it better. But I feel eager to continue, I look forward to writing the upcoming chapters so I needed to get this out. I know that wasn't very professional of me, but hey I _am not_ a professional writer! I'm just an amateur, so I have the right to be non-professional.

LoL.


	35. He Likes You

**MissDitzy** – Hm, I'm neither American nor British so I speak some kind of mix, I guess.

**Rachel** – I remember being very hesitating before adding words of that calibre and I'm still a bit hesitating about keeping them, especially if people react on them (this is also rated PG, so I shall be more careful). So I will leave that for… ehrm, further investigation. Thanks for pointing it out.

**Misao, Demon Master** – Eh, you seem kind of hyper… you crack me up! P

Also thanks **The Iviest, darkangle0170, degrassifan2010, Shafing in Grey, Bumperz, Pussin Boots, gboyary**

**

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Chapter 35 – He Likes You**

When I woke up, it was probably because I was so hungry that my stomach was sounding like there was an earthquake or something. The room was empty, and the sun shone in through the window, showing all the dust in the air. My eyes fell on the clock on the wall, which stated 5:00 PM. No wonder I was hungry, as I hadn't eaten anything in the last twenty-two hours!

I got up and headed out from the room and into the bathroom, only with a slight limp. I was still dirty from the events in the morning, and took a very quick shower before I headed downstairs to make myself a sandwich or whatever I could find. I found Hermione and Ron on the couch in front of the fireplace downstairs, although there was no fire.

"Hey guys", I said and pulled a hand through my hair.

Hermione grinned. "Hi, Tamara", she greeted me warmly. "How are you feeling?"

I shrugged. "Quite well. Hungry."

"Mum's making dinner but it might take a while", Ron said, "loads of people coming over. Help yourself to a sandwich."

"I will", I said and continued into the dining room, where I found Harry, Sirius and Lupin. Sirius looked a lot better now that he had showered and gotten into some new clothes, though still haggard and the hair was still long and unkempt. I was beginning to suspect it was kind of his style. Harry, on the other side, had just changed his shirt and washed himself briefly. His jeans were still dirty, as well as his hair was covered in dust.

"Has anyone seen Ginny!" Mrs Weasley yelled from the kitchen. "She said she'd help me with the dinner", she added in a more normal voice and appeared in the doorway. "Hi, Tamara. How are you, hungry?"

"Yes", I said.

"Come here, we'll see what we can make for you. Harry", she said, turning to him, "go and take a shower, we are expecting visitors." Harry obliged; rose and headed out of the room. "Someone", Mrs Weasley said to the men, "please go and look for Ginny. Tamara, come with me and have something to eat."

I followed her into the kitchen.

"Dinner shall be ready in about an hour", she said, "don't eat too much. Help yourself to a toast", she continued and handed me two toasts. As I began spreading peanut butter, she kept on talking. "You haven't eaten anything since yesterday, have you? We'd have woken you up if Madam Pomfrey hadn't insisted that you should sleep."

"It's okay", I said and took a bit of the first one. "Thanks a lot."

"You're very welcome, dear", she said before heading back to her cooking.

I headed back out into the dining room, where only Sirius was left – I guessed Lupin had gone after Ginny.

"I heard quite a bit about you", Sirius said.

"You did?"

He nodded. "Sent your own father to Azkaban, did you? Then he escaped, and you ran away from home. You quite remind me of myself when I was your age."

"Really?" I said and sat down. "How?"

"I ran away from home when I was sixteen", he said, "didn't get along with my family. My parents were pure blood fanatics, and my stupid brother joined the Death Eaters."

"Draco is not a Death Eater", I said stubbornly. "I know him better than anyone of you."

"Of course you do."

"He won't join the Death Eaters if Father doesn't make him."

"D'you think he will? Make him join?"

I looked into the table and swallowed the final bit of my final toast. "I don't know", I said.

Then we sat in silence for a while, until I rose abruptly. "I have to go and…" I mumbled quickly and headed off.

"He likes you", Sirius said from behind. "Harry."

I stopped dead and turned slowly around. "Pardon?"

"Harry likes you", he repeated.

"No he doesn't", I said. "How do you know? Did he say that?"

"No. But I know he likes you. It's the way he talks about you, you know", Sirius said.

"No, I don't… in what way does he talk about me?"

He shrugged. "You know. In _the_ way."

"Er… right-o", I said before heading off again.

I passed Ron and Hermione in by the fireplace with a small "hey", then I met Ginny in the staircase.

"Hi", she said, "how are you feeling?"

"Fine", I said. "What's up with the depressed look?"

"Mum is making me help her with dinner again", Ginny muttered, "Tonks was showing me some really cool stuff."

"That sucks", I agreed.

"I'll see you later", she said, "if I'm not there in five bloody seconds mum'll go nuts or something."

I continued upstairs, not knowing exactly where to go. But I bumped into Harry outside the bathroom, and he had obviously gotten showered, as his hair was wet and he had a towel over his shoulders. He had also changed into some clean clothes.

"Hey", he said, "I was wondering if… I could talk to you for a sec?"

"Sure", I said and followed him into his and Ron's bedroom, which was right there. "What's up?"

"I just realized", he began, "that I never really thanked you for coming with me."

"Oh, that's okay. Don't mention."

"It was really nice of you."

"You're welcome", I said.

Then he looked straight into my eyes, and what could I do but look straight into his emerald sparkling eyes? They are almost hypnotizing. It's amazing how anyone can have so green eyes.

"Did you know", he said, still not breaking the sort of connection there were, "that your eyes change colour?"

I smiled. "Yeah…"

"They were grey the other day, and then blue, and now they are ice blue."

"It's a little annoying", I said.

"I think it's cool. They… they are beautiful."

I got this really weird feeling, like an electric impulse that went down from be heart to my stomach. "Er, thanks", I said and went all red, "er, yours are nice to."

Was that the best I could come up with? _Nice?_ How about, _beautiful, extraordinary, amazing, astonishing, gorgeous _or_ stunning_? There's no lack of adjectives but I chose to say _nice_. I wanted to sink through the ground, but in the same time, not. I had embarrassed myself horribly. Not good.

"Er", I stammered, "I meant… beautiful. Extraordinary." Redder and redder, I felt it. "Amazing. Astonishing. Gorge-" I interrupted myself. "Er, you know." It was like I had no control over which words that came out of my mouth.

"Thank you", he said simply.

"You're welcome", I said.

"Dinner is ready!" someone yelled and knocked on the door.

"We'd go", I said quickly.

"Yeah."

So we headed downstairs. A lot of people had arrived, almost the whole order was there, plus all the Weasleys (except for Percy), including the other older brother, Charlie, who I did not know very well. I got seated next to Ginny, and later Hermione came and took the seat on the other side of me. Harry ended up on the opposite side of the table, which was a tad frustrating as I felt very tempted to cast glances at him every now and then. It was hard to avoid when he sat just opposite me.

He did not look particularly at me though, at least not when I looked at him. I kept feeling like he avoided eye contact, but then again – so did I. Everyone else around the table was in high spirits and chatting cheerily. I stayed silent, though. As did Harry (for reasons I did not know).

For the rest of the dinner, I tried my best to act normal and enjoy the food. It was marvellous, as always with three different dishes (meatloaf, lasagne and some kind of fish), followed by an incredible soufflé as dessert. And I can honestly say that I had a good time.

Later I excused myself from the table and headed upstairs to our bedroom. Shortly after, Ginny also arrived.

"Hey", she said and sat down on her bed, legs crossed. "Look I don't want to force anything out of you, but I couldn't help noticing that you were acting kind of weird."

"Ginny", I said and turned slowly around, "I… I have a question for you."

"Shoot."

"I was just thinking… when – _if_ – you kind of sort of might think you… _like_ someone… a little-"

"You're in loooove", Ginny said dramatically.

"No", I stated. "Or, maybe. Just a little."

She smirked. "I have a hunch who you're talking about, but still… who is he?"

"No one", I said quickly.

"You're in love with Harry", she said simply.

"Shush!" I hissed. "What if someone heard?"

"No one heard, Tamara", she said with a chuckle. "I doubt they're listening over by the door."

"What if he'd find out? And you can't tell him. If you tell him, I'll die. After I've killed you."

She frowned. "So… you _don't_ want him to find out?"

"No."

"So what's the point of it all, if he isn't ever going to find out? Look, Tamara, I know it's hard but if you just tell him-"

"I'll embarrass myself for all future."

"No, because he likes you too and you'll make a cute couple."

"He doesn't like me."

"Yes he does"; she said seriously. "If you just get a chance to be alone with him and explain your feelings, it'll all turn out fine."

"I _was_ alone with him", I whined. "And it was all 'er' and 'um' and then…"

"Then what?"

"He said that my eyes change colour."

"They do. But that's great, he commented on your eyes. Nice."

"Then he said they were beautiful", I added, walked over to my bed and threw myself upon it.

"Really?" Ginny said. "That's great! What did you say, then?"

I buried my face in my pillow. "Thanks, yours are nice too", I mumbled.

"What?"

I lifted my face slightly from the pillow. "Thanks, yours are nice too", I repeated.

Ginny's mouth formed a small 'O'. "It could have been worse", she said, trying to comfort me. "You could have said… er, I haven't got an example but…"

"Then", I continued, "I began ranting."

"About what?"

"Adjectives describing his eyes."

"Like…?" she asked slowly, fear in her voice.

"Beautiful, extraordinary, amazing, astonishing, gorgeous", I said.

"You said that!"

I nodded. "This is a total tragedy. I blushed like mad and I totally embarrassed myself."

"What did he say?"

"'Thank you'. And I said, 'You're welcome'. Then someone said it was dinner, so I said 'We'd go' and then we left." I turned my head and looked Ginny. "You're laughing."

"It's quite amusing", she giggled, "seeing and hearing how you two desperately try to get it together without anyone actually taking the first, or the second, or the third step – or any step at all – because you're both abnormally shy."

"That was constructive criticism, thank you", I said sarcastically. "Listen, I didn't tell you this just so that you would be able to make fun of me."

"Don't worry", Ginny said, "I'll help you. In fact, I'll take care of this right now."

I frowned. "How? You're not gonna go and tell him straight away, are you?"

"No", she said simply but literally jumped out of bed. "Come!"

She was acting very suspiciously, clearly she was up to something. Yet I rose from the bed and headed after her out from the room.

"Your hair", she said and pushed some hairs out of my face, "your clothes" – I straightened them – "hm… yeah."

"Look, Ginny, I have no bloody idea what you're up to but I have a bad feeling about this."

"Nah", she said, grabbed my arm and pulled me in the direction towards the boys' room. "It'll all turn out fine, you'll see." She knocked on the door.

"Come in", Ron said.

Ginny flung the door open and marched in, still pulling me. "Hi", she said to Harry and Ron, who were playing wizard's chess. "What's up, where's Hermione?"

"Helping mum with dishes", Ron muttered. "Queen to E4."

"Ron, would you mind leaving the room for a while?" Ginny asked politely.

"What are you doing?" I hissed.

"_What_?" Ron objected. "Why?"

"You'll see", Ginny said and grinned smugly.

For some weird reason, her brother obliged, and headed out of the room.

"Ginny, _no_", I said warningly.

She turned to me. "Tamara, _yes_." She turned to Harry. "Harry, will you get up here please?"

Harry rose hesitatingly and walked up to us.

"Now", Ginny said, "you know that you should really be able to do this on your own but I guess I'll have to help you out a little."

And with that, she simply grabbed the back of my and Harry's heads and forced them together. Our lips met, but we did not kiss – especially not as we both were in shock. I just froze, as did Harry appear to do.

"Fine", she said, "then I'll just leave you here.

She let go of our heads so we pulled apart, then she marched out and slammed the door shut behind her.

"Er", I said, "oh my god I did not mean to-"

"Um, what was that?"

"-Ginny just pulled me over here-"

"Typically Ginny."

"-this was really awkward-"

"A bit interesting strategy, I must say."

"-and I apologize-"

"I didn't mind."

I froze again. "What did you say?" I said weakly.

All of a sudden, he seemed very interested in a spot on the white wall. "I said I didn't mind", he repeated.

"You didn't."

"Hm, no."

"Oh. That's good."

"Yeah, I guess. Did you? Mind?"

"Nah", I said, trying my best to sound offhanded.

"Good then. Neither of us minded. So I guess there's nothing to apologize for."

"You're right, of course."

"You know, your eyes are almost silver now", he said suddenly.

"It must be the light", I said. "Or perhaps they change during the day? So that when I wake up, they're blue, then ice blue, then grey-ish and now, in the evening, they're silver."

"Yeah", he said.

"But", I said, "the thing we talked about… that neither one of us minded? If… if, Ginny would get such ideas again, would you mind then?"

"No", he said simply.

"Good."

"Or perhaps it'd happen for some other reason."

"Yeah", I said.

Silence.

"We don't seem to be making any progress here", I said.

"I think that perhaps… perhaps we should count to three, and then we could both… _not mind_ on the same time, don't you think?"

"Yeah. Good idea."

"Would you like to count, or shall I?"

"Let's do it together."

"One", we said in unison, "two…"

We never said 'three'. I was speechless as I saw Harry lean closer, and when his lips touched mine I just closed my eyes.

It wasn't awkward like I had imagined it to be. Neither was it the most romantic and perfect kiss ever. But we had made progress, finally. I had kissed him and he had kissed me, in the same time, even if it had required a countdown.

**

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Author's Note: **I had so much fun writing this chapter! I had dreamed it all up already, and then I added a lot of stuff… It only got longer and longer, I didn't want to cut it off. But here, at nine pages, I finally reached a point where the words stopped coming to me.

I hope that satisfied you people who have been asking for this… if not, feel free to express you thoughts in a review (you know one of those you conjure by pressing the little purple button down there).

It's late at night and I'm thirsty after having written all this. I want OJ. (And a review from you.)


	36. Trouble in Paradise

**Author's Note: **Sorry, people, writer's block. Didn't want to post anything 'cause it BEEP totally BEEP so BEEP much.

**Misao, Demon Master** – Never really liked Lockhart until he became your review buddy. You really make a combination… ;)

**Bizm** – Made my day. D

Also thanks to **The Iviest, Degreassifan2010, Alixandra, TomF'sAngelgirl, Shading in Grey, ravolis, Pussin Boots.**

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Chapter 36 – Trouble in Paradise**

"You know, Harry", I said slowly, "I think I might sort of like you."

He smiled with his beautiful emerald eyes glittering as he slid his arms around my waist. My heart almost melted.

"You know, Tamara", he said slowly, "I think I might sort of like you too. A lot."

I smiled, not remembering the last time I had ever been this happy. "We definitively need to remember to thank Ginny", I said.

"Oh yeah", he said. "I can't believe it was so obvious. I mean, Ron has been nagging me about it for quite a while-"

"Ginny and Hermione too", I said. Then I frowned. "But honestly, was it really _that_ obvious? I never thought you liked me."

"I didn't think you liked me either."

"We've been so stupid."

"Blind."

"Love is blinding."

He frowned.

"Literally", I said. "Perhaps we were so blind that we didn't see that the other one returned our feelings?"

"I've never heard that proverb being used in that way, but now that you say it, it actually does make sense."

We were interrupted by a loud knocking on the door. "You two", Ron's voice was heard, "aren't you _finished_ yet? C'mon, Harry, I wanna continue playing chess."

"Leave them alone, Ron. I don't think they want to be disturbed." Obviously Hermione had joined them. Actually, I had no idea they had been waiting outside all this time. I'd have thought they had gone somewhere else and done something, I don't know, but it was very naive of me to think so. Did I really expect them to leave us alone…?

"So", Harry said, "d'you reckon we should let them in or lock them out?"

"D'you think they'll go away if we pretend to not hear?"

"No."

"Then perhaps we should let them in."

Harry nodded. "You lot on the other side of the door", he said, "it's not locked. You can come in, if you want."

The door immediately burst open and Hermione and the two Weasleys entered.

"That took time", Ron muttered.

"_Ron!_" Hermione said.

"Sorry, dear", Ron replied offhandly.

Hermione giggled. "It's so funny, Ron's begun calling me _dear_. It gives me the feeling that we're an old married couple, is that a good or a bad sign?"

"As long as you're happy," I said, "it should be a good sign, shouldn't it?"

"So what should I call you then?" Harry said quietly in my ear.

I put my head on one side. "Hm", I mused, "I don't know. Whatever you feel comfortable with."

"Come here, sweetheart", he said and pulled me into a hug.

"I like that", I mumbled. "Go for sweetheart."

"I like it too", he replied.

"Oh _look _at these two", Hermione exclaimed. "Aren't they_ cute_ together? All the whispering and such."

"For your information", Harry said, "you two" – he nodded towards her and Ron – "whispered quite a lot when you started going out."

"Yeah", Hermione said and glanced at Ron. "I wonder when we quit doing that."

"I'll whisper in your ear, as soon as I've finished this game of chess", Ron said impatiently. "_Harry!_"

"He'll eat me if I don't finish that game", Harry whispered, "actually he's very capable of doing that."

I nodded. My gaze fell upon Ginny, who was standing in the doorway. She was smiling cheerfully, but her eyes were sad.

"I'll go and talk to Ginny", I said quietly and kissed Harry's cheek briefly before heading over to Ginny.

"Hey Gin", I said, "can I talk to you for a sec?"

"Of course", she said.

We left the room and headed over into ours. "I couldn't help but notice in there", I said slowly, "you seemed kind of sad…?"

"I'm fine."

"Sure?"

"Yes."

"I also wanted to say _thank you_, I really hated it but I guess you were right all the time."

"Of course."

I frowned. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing!" she said and smiled. "You two are such a perfect couple."

I looked down on my feet. "Yeah…", I said. "Gin… are you really okay with this? Harry and me? I know you liked him-"

"Yes", she said simply. "I did. But he didn't like me at all, not in that way, so I gave up on that. And I think you going out with him will help me to move on."

I smiled. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Hey guys", the door flung open and Harry stood in the doorway, "come."

Then he headed off again, Ginny and I following. "What?"

We entered Harry and Ron's room again, and there was Hermione, with a letter with the Hogwarts crest printed on it. She just stared at it, not believing her eyes.

"What's that?" Ginny asked. She walked over to Hermione, snatched the parchment from her and began reading it out loud.

"_Dear Miss Granger,_

_Due to certain circumstances we have been late with some administration for the upcoming school year. But we are very pleased to be able to inform you that you have been chosen as Head Girl-_" Ginny's voice faded away. "Head Girl? Hermione? Oh my God! Congratulations!"

"I don't believe it", Hermione mumbled, staring out into empty air.

"If you think about it", Ron said, "there's really no one who would be better as Head Girl."

"Who's Head Boy?" Ginny wondered curiously.

"I have no idea", Harry said. "Probably one from one of the other houses."

"_I'm Head Girl!_" Hermione shrieked.

* * *

The rain clattered on the window. _God is sad_, I thought. _Very sad._ It was pouring down. I had honestly believed that rain came when God was crying until I was around five years old. When it was snowing; he was baking – the snowflakes were flour he spilled out. Nowadays I knew better though.

"Feels a bit weird, doesn't it?" I said. "Last night."

Ginny nodded. "Tomorrow it's back to the gulag."

"It's not _that_ bad, is it?" said Hermione.

Ron groaned. "Final year, Hermione, what do you reckon? It won't be like a holiday."

"If you were more _organized_, Ron, and perhaps a little more _effective_, and if you perhaps wouldn't spend so much time playing quidditch-"

"La la la la I'm not listening la la la la", Ron said and put his fingers in his ears.

Hermione sighed. "All I'm saying is that-"

"I wondered when this was coming", Ron cut her off, "I thought she had been way too non-annoying lately."

"Please, guys", Ginny said, "no fighting on our last night of the summer, eh?"

"Stop poking your nose into everything, Ginny", Ron snorted.

"No, she's right", Hermione said, "we shouldn't fight. I'm sorry." Then she looked exactingly at Ron.

"Sorry", he muttered.

"Where's Harry?" Hermione asked.

"I dunno", Ron said, "I reckon he was talking to Sirius but that was like an hour ago." He shrugged.

I rose from my bed, where I had been lying flat on my stomach. "I'll be right back", I said, "I'm just going to the loo."

So I headed out from the room and into the toilet. A couple of minutes later I was finished and on my way back, a sudden feeling made me head over to the room that Harry and Ron was sharing instead, and I bent over to peep through the keyhole.

_What am I doing?_ I thought. I wasn't really sure. Why didn't I just knock? I felt it would have been stupid of me to knock if he wasn't there. And I didn't think he was there. He was probably still talking to his godfather. If he wasn't, he would have come and joined us, wouldn't he?

But I saw a silhouette in there, someone standing over by the window. So I knocked.

"Yeah", Harry said.

I opened the door. "Hey", I said, "we were wondering where you had gone."

"I was just talking to Sirius", he said slowly. "Um… I need to talk to you."

I had a very bad feeling about this. In his voice, it sounded like someone had died, and I knew that this wasn't good news.

I entered and closed the door behind me. "What's happened?" I asked softly.

"Listen, I…" he bit his lip and looked away. "I've been thinking, and talking and… It's back to Hogwarts tomorrow. So people'll know about… us. It'll spread. To the Dark Side. They'll use it against me, trust me Tamara. That's how they work. They take away people who mean much to me. That's how they got me into the Department of Mysteries in the first place; they made me believe they'd got Sirius there." Finally he turned around and looked exactly at me. "So many people have been hurt because of me-"

"It's not your fault, Harry", I said quickly.

"Of course it's my fault", he spat. "If it hadn't been for me, then-"

"Then the Dark Lord would have taken over the world sixteen years ago", I said. "You defeated him then, he's back now but you can't make it your life mission to defeat him again. It's not your responsibility; you can't have the whole world on your shoulders."

"You don't understand!" he exclaimed. "It _is_ my responsibility."

"Why!"

Silence.

"There's something you should know", he said finally. "Um… everything that happened back then, in the Department of Mysteries…" – he paused – "what it was about, it was about this… prophecy."

I frowned. "A prophecy."

"It broke."

"Oh. That's too bad. Then you'll never know what it said-"

"I've heard it."

"You have?"

"Dumbledore keeps a recording of it in his office."

"Oh. So… what did it say then?"

He bit his lip. "Um…"

"What?"

He turned his back on me and mumbled something very fast.

"What did you say?"

He turned around. "The prophecy", he said, "was about Voldemort and me, and basically, it said that in the end, one of us will have to kill the other."

"I…" I stammered, "I… what?"

He sighed and crossed his arms. "Either I'll be the victim or the murderer."

"I… er… um", I kept stammering, "I… wh… I don't know what to say", I said finally.

"I just thought you should know what you've gotten yourself into", he said quietly.

I frowned again. "So who… did the prophecy?"

"Trelawney-"

"Doesn't she always talk a lot of nonsense? I don't take Divination but she's always seemed like a sort of… unreliable source."

"It's not nonsense."

"But-"

"IT'S NOT NONSENSE!" he lashed out.

I stared at him. "Er… okay, I believe you…"

"Sorry", he said quietly. "It's just that…" – he sighed – "I… don't know."

"What don't you know?" I asked quietly.

"What to do."

"About what?"

"About… us. This. Getting too close to you. They'll take you away from me. And if you get hurt because of me-"

"Harry, don't worry about me", I said. "You've got enough to worry about. I can take care of myself-"

"Cedric could take care of himself", Harry said. "My parents could bloody take care of themselves. Sirius could take care of himself. I never said you can't take care of yourself."

"Then what are you trying to say?"

"Just that… I don't know. I don't know much about anything. I- Can you do me a favour? Please do me a favour, Tamara."

"What?"

"Learn Occlumency."

I looked at him. "But, Harry…"

"Snape gave me lessons, he can give you lessons too. I'll talk to Dumbledore, he'll talk to him."

"You want me to learn Occlumency to be able to prevent people from reading my mind."

"Your dad is out of Azkaban. If he collaborates with Voldemort, they'll get into your head. Now, Voldemort doesn't care about you but when he learns that you mean much to me, then… it's in a whole different light. Please, Tamara, learn Occlumency. For your own sake."

"Harry, calm down, please… I'll learn Occlumency. Don't worry", I said and slid my arms over his back.

"Thank you", he breathed.


	37. Encounters

**Author's Note: **I apologize for taking so long, here are some of my lame excuses: 1.) I've been out of town. 2.) I've been dealing with some personal issues. 3.) I've been lazy. 4.) I've been uninspired. 5.) I've been busy. 6.) My computer doesn't like _or_ doesn't like my computer, either way, it didn't work.

**Abi M** – In a sort of way, yes, but I don't think it'll satisfy those of you who are looking for a Draco/Hermione story.

**Misao, Demon Master** – Yes what kind of word is purtiful, honestly? looks in dictionary No, it isn't even in there. writes 'purtiful' in Word No, my computer doesn't even recognize the stupid word. Stupid red line under. Question remains; What the BEEP is purtiful? (Oh, and tell your friend Lockhart that it wasn't meant as a compliment.)

Thanks also **Radical Princess, Hpmaniac3241, Alixandra, kittycatdudet, ivytwine, Shading in Grey, Ell514, Kow it all, Pussin Boots, Emma-Lizzy-Black, SeverusSnape'sLove.**

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Chapter 37 – Encounters**

"One, two, three, four", Mrs Weasley counted us. "One missing. Where's Ron?"

"Finishing packing", Harry said.

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"RONALD WEASLEY!" Mrs Weasley shrieked. "DOWN HERE! NOW!"

"Relax, mum", Ron muttered as he came downstairs, levitating his trunk in front of him.

"We're in a hurry", she muttered. "If you would have packed your trunk yesterday, like everyone else, we wouldn't be late."

Ron glared at her. "So are we going, then?"

Mrs Weasley nodded shortly. Mr Weasley had borrowed two cars from the Ministry of Magic, and we would have Order members accompanying us there; Lupin, Mungungus plus Mr and Mrs Weasley. Sirius wasn't allowed out of the house as he still was considered being a murder by a whole lot of people, and Tonks was already at Hogwarts to prepare for her year coming as the DADA teacher.

The Hogwarts train was to leave at 11 o'clock as always, and we arrived to King's Cross at 10:30 AM. It was packed with people, as usual – older students hanging in groups, scared (terrified?) first years with their parents, students rummaging about in their trunks, laughing students, students looking for their friends, anxious students…

We got onto the train and got ourselves a compartment, now joined by Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom. Ginny disappeared for a while, and returned a couple of minutes later with Julianne.

"Everyone", she said, "say hi to Julianne here."

"Hi", we said in chorus.

She smiled shyly. "Hi", she said.

Hermione rose. "Nice to meet you, Julianne", she said warmly and did then turn to me and Ron. "Prefects shall go to the prefect compartment", she said. "Oh, and I too, of course, being Head Girl…", she added proudly.

"Right", I said and rose, Ron following.

And in the Prefect compartment, we met my brother, who I actually was slightly anxious to speak to. Ever since I had fled Malfoy Manor that rainy day, I had debated on whether or not to send him and owl, but decided that I shouldn't, as he shouldn't know anything about my location.

I cleared my throat. "Hi", I said.

He turned around. "You're a prefect?"

That's when I saw his Head Boy badge. "You're Head Boy?"

Hermione must have heard what I had said or caught sight of Draco's Head Boy badge, because she let out a groan. "There must be some sort of mistake here", she said.

Draco looked at her. "Granger? Head Girl?" He groaned. "I feared it, but I hoped it wouldn't come true…"

Also Ron looked less than happy.

"Don't tell me I'll have to share the Head Boy and Girl's apartment with _Granger_ for a whole _year_?" Draco hissed.

"Prefects, silence please", McGonagall's voice was heard, and the crowd became quiet. "First out; it's my pleasure to tell you that our new Head Boy and Girl are none other than Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger."

Applause, but Draco and Herminoe were still glaring angrily at each other.

McGonagall then started going through the prefect duties (for instance, we were supposed to patrol the corridors every now and then), and we were allowed to give out punishments but we must under _no circumstances_ use this power in a bad way, and it was our _responsibility_ to report misbehaving students, etc.

However, after the information (which lasted, boringly enough, for almost an hour), I got a chance to speak to Draco.

"How can you have become prefect?" he asked.

"Julianne – you know, the Gryffindor girl who was prefect – resigned."

He snorted. "You don't resign as a prefect. That's ridiculous."

"She was going out with the boy who was the other Gryffindor prefect, William, and he… well, she didn't want to be a prefect without him."

Silence.

"How was your summer?" Draco asked finally.

"It was good", I said. "I've been… I've been hanging out with Harry, Hermione and the Weasley's. And…"

"What?"

"Don't freak out now, but-"

"I don't like it when you say that…"

"Well, um, Harry and I, we are sort of… going out now."

"You're kidding, right?"

"No."

He stared at me like I was insane. "Are you _mad_! _Potter_! Out of every guy you could possibly hook up with, you chose _Potter_! Have you got _any_ idea of what mess you've gotten yourself into! Father is already after you-"

"He is?" I asked quickly. "Did he come home? Did you see him? What did he say?"

"You are the reason he spent the last year in Azkaban, Tamara, now he escaped and you think he'll just leave you alone? He doesn't care you're his daughter. He'll be after you. You haven't exactly made things better by going and hooking up with _Potter_ either. Not for anyone. Do you ever think about anyone else than yourself!"

I frowned. "Now what's that supposed to mean!"

"It means, dear sister, that perhaps you could _think_ a little before you act. You want to do what's right, be on the good side, I get it! You think you're really brave and cool and everything now, don't you? You wanna be a rebel. Fight your own family."

"They're on the Dark Side, Draco, they kill muggleborns and-"

"I don't fucking care!" he roared. "Whatever. I don't care about what they do. Why can't you just _accept_ some things? I'm not asking you to join the Death Eaters or something, but do you have to poke your bloody nose into other people's business all the freakin' time?"

"…"

"My point was", he said, more calm now, "that perhaps it's better to just go with the flow sometimes."

"Listen", I said, a tad irritated, "I can do whatever I want to do, okay? You can sit there and hang out with your evil friends and 'go with the flow', but _I_ don't want anything to do with Malfoy Manor any more. It's not _your_ problem!"

"IT IS MY PROBLEM!"

"How the hell can it be your problem!"

"Because I live there! I live at the darn place. _Anything _you do just backfires on me. Don't you get it? You can do whatever you want, but please, stop letting it go out over _me_!"

And with that, he marched out of the compartment.

"_Sorry, then_", I muttered, a tear threatening to escape from my eye.


	38. Let's Get It Started Again

**Author's Note: **As always; my apologies for taking so long… there's no excuse really. I've been uninspired and I've been suffering from Fan Fiction Dedication Decrease Disorder, FFDDD. But now I'm back. I shall never give up on this story… not now that I've come such a long way. And I haven't been all lazy, no, I've planned future chapters and made sort of a timeline for Tamara's sixth year. Well… enjoy.

**Radical Princess** – Wow. That's what I call a review. Well… I guess Harry and Tamara are quite close. I just thought that Tamara would think that Draco'd like to hear it from her, 'cause I mean, they are sort of official. And about the whole Sirius-thing… yes, farfetched, I know, but basically, I just wanted to bring him back 'cause he's like, my favourite character ever and I couldn't think of any better way to do it. I also know I tend to write a little too much dialogue, but… I'm very impatient, and dialogue brings the story forwards… I'll try to be better though.

Thanks a lot also to **Iviest, Taeniaea, Shading in Grey, Pussin Boots, TomF'sAngelgrl, kittycatdudet.** Sorry if I missed someone.

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Chapter 38: Let's Get it Started Again**

"Hey Gin?" I asked. "Ginny! Hey, wake up!" As I was way too lazy to get out of my comfy bed, walk over the cold stone floor (though I _did_ have a pair of fluffy red slippers), I threw my pillow at her instead.

"Now _what_!" she groaned.

"Classes start in an forty-five minutes", I said, "we'd better get up so that we'll have time for breakfast."

"I'm still full from yesterday's welcome supper", she said. "Besides, I'd really like to lose a couple of pounds-"

"You're skinny enough as you are", I said.

"You're skinnier."

"No I'm not."

"We'll measure it."

"Aw Gin, come on now… Don't tell me you're not up for a chocolate muffin at least?"

"I'm not up for a chocolate muffin."

"I'm hungry."

"I ate three chicken clubs yesterday and a whole pie. You just had one chicken club and half a pie. Of course you're hungry. You go and eat… I'll see you in class."

"Whatever", I muttered and rolled out of my bed. "Don't be late for class, everyone else has left already so there won't be anyone here to wake you up", I warned her."

I got washed quickly and put the usual school uniform on, then I headed off for breakfast. In the hallway just outside the Great Hall, I met Draco. I hadn't spoken to him since the encounter on the train yesterday, and I wasn't very sure in which phase our, eh, relation was.

"Hi", I said.

He didn't even bother answering me, just glared back. It felt like someone had punched me hard in my stomach. I didn't know what I had expected, really, and I couldn't say I wasn't surprised. Though… I guess I hoped for a slightly friendlier greeting. But as for now, Draco had disappeared into the Great Hall and there was nothing I could do to make up with him at the moment, so when I caught sight of Harry, Ron, Hermione and some other Gryffindors, I headed over to join them instead.

"Hey", I said as I seated myself on the empty seat next to Hermione.

"Good morning", she said brightly.

Harry looked up from the other side of the table. "Hi", he said and smiled.

Did I tell you how cute he was when he smiled? Specially as it was so rare nowadays. Although, I had gotten the feeling that he had been a little happier lately.

"We were just talking about the Quidditch Team", Harry said, "we'll need to have tryouts for the vacant chaser position. We were thinking, this weekend perhaps? We'll need to gt started as quickly as possible in order to be… better than ever."

"You see", Ron said, "we're planning to win again."

Hermione chuckled.

"What's so funny about that?" Ron said.

"Nothing", Hermione said, "just the way you said it."

"Sounds good to me", I said quickly to avoid a fight.

"I've got to go", Hermione said and rose. "I wouldn't want to be late for the first class of the year."

"It's twenty minutes left", Ron informed her.

"I know", she said.

"Wait for me", I said and rose, "I'd better go too, I've got some stuff to do and I really don't want to be late for Potions."

"Oh yeah, Tamara", Harry said, "I almost forgot; I spoke to Dumbledore and said that Snape agreed to… yeah."

"Oh. Thanks", I said, not really sure whether to be happy or sad about it.

"What did Snape agree to?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Give me Occlumency lessons", I muttered. "Harry seems to think it'd be a good idea seeing as… well, Father escaped from Azkaban and… you know."

"I think it's a great idea", she said.

"You do?"

"Oh yes. You'll be able to use Occlumency for your whole life."

"I guess you're right."

"Okay", she said and turned right, "see you around."

"Where are you- oh", I said, when I remembered that she was Head Girl now and no longer resident in the Gryffindor tower.

"I'm Head Girl now", she said and smiled when looking down on her badge.

"Yeah…", I said. "I just forgot for a second. I can't think of anyone better suited for Head Girl than you."

"Thanks", she said. "You know, actually… I was wondering… has anything happened to your brother?"

I frowned. "Not that I can think of", I said, "why?"

"It's just that… he's actually being _nice_. Or, not nice perhaps, but polite. Well, he's not been harassing me or picking on me. When I learned that we'd be sharing common room for the year, I thought it'd be horrible. But, he's actually left me alone."

I shrugged. "Perhaps he's matured."

"Yeah", she said. "Anyway, I'd better go. See you around!"

"Yeah", I said, waved and headed off to the Gryffindor tower.

When I arrived back to our dormitory, I wasn't too surprised to see Ginny asleep.

"Virginia Weasley!" I shrieked.

She sat up, abruptly awake. "Mum! What are you… oh", she said when she saw that it had been me, and lay back down.

I chuckled. "I thought that'd wake you up."

"You sounded exactly like mum", Ginny muttered.

"It's less than fifteen minutes left until classes starts", I said, "were you planning on getting up perhaps?"

She groaned and sat up again.

"I knew you'd sleep over", I said, "lucky for you I came back to get my books."

Ginny glared at me.

* * *

First class of the day was, as mentioned before, Potions. It was a common known fact that Snape did only let the best into his NEWT classes, and already this first lesson I was beginning to suspect that it might be some thought behind that. The tempo was awfully high, and when we got forty pages for homework in the end of the lesson I realized that this most likely would be a heck of a year.

"Class dismissed", he said, "Miss Malfoy, would you please stay for a minute."

"Yes?" I asked when the last student had left the room.

"Professor Dumbledore wishes for me to give you Occlumency lessons", Snape said, "and he also wishes for them to start as soon as possible. Shall we say, six o'clock next Monday?"

Right-o. In the middle of dinner. Perfect. Just what I wanted! Not. But I couldn't say that, could I. So instead I said, "Sure."

"Remember, this is for your own best. I won't tolerate any impertinence."

"Of course", I said.

"That's all. You're dismissed."

"Thank you", I said, grabbed my books and hurried out of the room.


End file.
